simpleBlizzard games are coming to Steam
ultratiem Blizzard had plans to dump the launcher shortly after D3 2.0 dropped. Then they backpedaled and where like no wait launcher is great! 🤷♂️
I’m not sure why that’d be surprising, it’s not like they’re going to instantly transfer all of battlenet over to steam along with all those players, and they definitely wouldn’t be the first game with another account, extra launcher or not.
I don’t have any bliz games installed right now to check what the state is currently, but it used to be the case (definitely up to SC2/D3) that the initial releases were standalone clients, if you launched them directly they’d present you with a log in screen and I think that might still be the case, including things like 2 factor. Then it’s launch it and type your username/password.
Maybe it’s because I’ve been PC gaming for long enough that I remember when every online game under the sun had its own login that I’m really not bothered by things like this. I do find it amusing how there’s people really enthusiastic about PC and hating consoles with MS/Sony lock-in, that seem to want a console-like experience with every developer under the Valve hegemony. I get wanting simplicity, but there’s also putting all your eggs in one basket.
HeavenAndHellIt’s surprising because it’s Blizzard
Not gonna play them if they include their launcher after game is started from Steam lol.
This should be unacceptable. Launchers are bloatware.
elouboubI don't understand what the point of a blizzard launcher is - steam is already a launcher.
Ads. Ads and data harvesting.
yeah, plus steam takes 30%
The games are coming to Steam. Even if the launcher is there, Steam still gets the 30%
IDK what your comment is about, but its not a coincidence the first blizz game coming to steam is free to play,
poryIn-app purchases, mtx, DLC, and premium currency are also subject to Valve tax for games that are on Steam. Free to play means “enough people pay $200+ that we can get away with not selling it for $50”, putting it on Steam still means Valve gets a piece of the pie.
The Battle.net launcher pre-dates Steam though, doesn’t it?
beefcatBattle.net actually launched in 1996, though the client as it existed back then would hardly be recognizable as a launcher/storefront today. The modern client launched in 2009.
Yeah I just mean the launcher application. I dunno, I had it way before Steam was even on my radar though.
Battle.net is dead and gone. The launcher has nothing to do with battle.net and everything to do with attempting to harvest as much data as possible, bonus if you run it in the background without playing any of their games.
I was wondering why it sucked so much ass. This explains it
rockerface 🇺🇦Battle.net launcher can literally be closed after the game is running. It even has a setting to automatically do so. Why would they pull this sort of bullshit, I have no idea
QubaXREach time battle net launcher opens,it displays a popup banner for cosmetics, warcraft stuff, overwatch stuff etc. They get free ads in your eyeballs.
No way they will let it go. It will be steam -> battle.net -> game
I expect the worst, and I am usually right. You are probably correct lol.
russjr08They’ve stated it will launch OW2 directly.
Why would they pull this sort of bullshit, I have no idea
They aren’t, they said that the Steam versions of Blizzard games will not require the Battle.net launcher at all.
SturgistMy immediate reaction was:
Pffffffffffff…get fucked!
Mike Ybarra confirmed on the bird site that these games will launch directly through Steam, no bundled launcher nonsense.
That’s awesome!
confirmed
I’ve heard OW2 has dropped PVE while it was confirmed that PVE will exist lol.
De LancreIt was not just “confirmed” - that was whole point of OW2.
Lmao yeah
On Steam Deck EA games often fail to start at all due to EA launcher updates, and Rockstar launcher takes around 3-5 minutes to start a fucking game (which should start instantly).
I mean, this sounds suspiciously like something a company that makes the device that also owns and runs the biggest digital game store might do intentionally.
SemperverusExcept its not. Valve has gone out of their way to make sure other peoples’ games and launchers work. Look at the Proton patch notes if you’re not just being a conspiratorial asshole and actually care about the facts.
Do we know if it’ll work this way ? It sounds so stupid but I wouldn’t put it past them
Pretty sure it either allows to login within game, or launches their own (micro?) launcher first, where you have to login with Blizzard account and then starts the game.
Pretty much all “steam games” that are primarily available elsewhere run this way using mini launchers…
hellodubI mean that’s cool an all, but why not mark the occasion by giving us Overwatch 1 back? That’d be real neato
Battle.net has been around since at least StarCraft 1. I’m glad Blizzard is showing signs of throwing in the towel when better storefronts/launchers are available
IzzyI can nearly guarantee you that once you download it from Steam servers that it will require the Battle.net launcher.
TheZoltanI can see this isn't your first rodeo!
They already said this won’t be the case
Mike Ybarra confirmed this is not the case. They will launch directly from Steam.
Is there a source? I want to believe this so much.
HOLY SHIT!
Thank you!
Since Diablo. Back when I played on dialup. I’m old.
This is battle.net 2.0. Most of Battle 1.0's functionality had to either be ported or just isn't there.
Battle.net 1.0 is so different that warcraft III vomited server instability when it moved to 2.0. They're the same in name only.
And as others have pointed out, it will probably still require 2.0 in order to play the games, just that Steam's launcher will point you to battle.net
TheSpookiestUserI wonder what the playercounts will look like? It’ll only capture people launching the game through Steam, of course, but I figure they’ll be decently high and score among the top concurrent players anyway.
SkrayIf it's anything like Path of Exile, around 60% of their playerbase uses Steam over their standalone launcher.
It'll be nice to at least track playtimes and have that data in 1 location.
Will it keep blocking Linux / Steam Deck users from playing, though?
What are you having issues running on Steam Deck? I got the Blizzard launcher working and have played OW1 and 2 successfully
I was under the understanding that Overwatch 2 had an anticheat that prevented Linux players from playing.
Not to my understanding. I was able to get it working just fine once Proton had a patch for it. There are a few guides out on YouTube, it’s not a terribly difficult process! Go 4 it :)
Battle.net works pretty well in Linux at the moment.
I really wish Steam would put their foot down and stop these launchers. They are nothing but a nuisance and add no value for the customer.
Steam having a monopoly is not a good thing for anyone. Competition is good, even if the other launchers are a bit annoying.
False. It’s a good thing for Gabe.
Yeah, steam is good, but it can get bad if they sit around for too long and get fat. The threat of others is a good thing.
I just wish the competition gave any attention to Linux support. GOG Galaxy has been out idk how long, they sell Linux games, and still not even a launcher.
How is a shiti launcher a competition...
You want competition go to GoG or Epic... Or pirate
Yeah but like, launcher isn't a market. Game Store is the market they're in. I'll happily buy a game from a different store if thats the only place it's offered or even if it's just cheaper there. The annoyance is when they want to be Steam. I don't want to be forced to download another launcher to play a game. If you want what Steam has, create a launcher that offers better services than Steam.
But most games aren’t DRM-free, so the launchers are necessary to verify your account and ownership of the game. Otherwise every store would be GOG, and most publishers won’t use it.
Steam already does that verification.
Yeah, but why should Steam be the only game in town? That’s a very dangerous monopoly.