The 2K Launcher is Gone

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The 2K Launcher is Gone

Key Takeaways

  • 2K Games has officially removed its launcher from all PC games.
  • Users cited performance issues and lack of mod support as to why the launcher was inconvenient.
  • Players can now access 2K games directly from Steam and Epic.

As a seasoned PC gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I can’t help but feel a sense of relief and joy at the news that 2K Games has finally bid adieu to their notorious launcher. For years, I’ve wrestled with performance issues, lack of mod support, and incompatibilities that seemed to be the norm when trying to play my favorite 2K games.

2K Games has officially retired their access platform, known as the 2K Launcher, from all their games. The company made this decision and ceased support for the software without providing a specific reason, although some gamers have expressed frustration with proprietary launchers in general.

A portion of the gaming community has expressed enthusiasm about the potential demise of 2K’s launcher, as they have pointed out performance issues and insufficient mod support as key concerns. Additionally, compatibility problems with the Steam Deck, which previously required Proton to function properly, are frequently mentioned as an issue that the company states has been addressed with the introduction of the new access protocol.

2K announced in a blog post dated October 2024 that they would be phasing out the 2K Launcher from all PC games by the end of the year. On November 25, 2024, the post was updated to confirm that the 2K Launcher had been completely removed from all PC titles. Earlier this year, Civilization 6 dropped the launcher, and the latest update has also eliminated it for Sid Meier’s Civilization 5, which previously used the 2K Launcher Beta. Now, players can run all 2K games directly through Steam and Epic, gaining full access to every version and mod for each individual title.

2K Launcher Shut Down

As per the company’s announcement, the 2K Launcher folder on your computer will be replaced with a text file named “2kLauncherRemoved.txt”. This file is safe to delete. For the correct operation of the new setup, it is recommended that you restart any related software, reboot your PC, and verify that the latest version of the software for Epic and Steam is installed. Some additional files may still need to be removed, which can be done following the instructions provided in a document linked in the blog post.

2K further pointed out that each game would undergo diverse alterations upon disabling the Launcher, offering multiple routes to play various titles. Games such as XCOM 2, XCOM: Chimera Squad, all Bioshock series games, Civilization 6, Mafia Trilogy Definitive Edition, and more were mentioned. Since XCOM 2 is now accessible on mobile devices, the simplified PC access could potentially boost gameplay on this platform.

As players enthusiastically discuss the recent deletion of the 2K Launcher across platforms like Reddit, other publishers might follow suit and think about getting rid of their exclusive launchers too. Given that the PC gaming community values performance highly, removing memory-intensive unnecessary software would be a much appreciated move for many gamers.

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2024-11-27 17:06