EA Abandons Long-Standing Steam Requirement in Battlefield 6: Victory for Novices and Veterans Alike
In a welcome move for PC gamers, Electronic Arts (EA) has announced that Battlefield 6 will no longer require the EA Desktop App to run on Steam. This decision, while not a definitive sign that EA is moving away from their desktop app entirely, could be a step towards a more streamlined gaming experience.
EA's decision to remove the EA Desktop App requirement for Battlefield 6 is significant, as it marks a potential shift in the industry's approach to game launchers. EA, along with other publishers, has multiple launchers, including Steam, Epic Games Store, Ubisoft Connect, GOG, and more. The removal of the EA Desktop App requirement for Battlefield 6 could signal a trend towards reducing the need for multiple launchers, a practice commonly referred to as "launcher bloat."
For many PC gamers, the tediousness of having to launch multiple applications before playing a game is a familiar frustration. The need to run separate launchers for games available on multiple storefronts adds unnecessary complexity, consumes resources, and detracts from the convenience of gaming. Some games, like Minecraft, Escape from Tarkov, Black Desert Online, Warframe, etc., have their own dedicated launchers, while others, such as Rainbow Six Siege X, require both Steam and Ubisoft Connect to play.
The user, a dedicated Steam gamer, expressed excitement about playing Battlefield 6 natively on Steam, eliminating the need to run two launchers simultaneously. The user also suggested that publishers should remove unnecessary bloat, such as requiring separate launchers for games available on multiple storefronts.
While some games are still sold on multiple storefronts but require a separate launcher due to publishers wanting to maintain control over their platform, account management, DRM, and user experience, the industry is slowly acknowledging the drawbacks of this practice. Tools like "Junk Store 2.0" have emerged, aiming to streamline the experience by allowing users to access games from multiple storefronts seamlessly without opening each store’s launcher separately.
Despite the ongoing issue of fragmentation in PC game launchers, the removal of the EA Desktop App requirement for Battlefield 6 is a positive step towards simpler gaming experiences. Battlefield 6 will be available at the industry standard price of $70, not $80, and will not require the user to launch both Steam and the EA Desktop App when playing. The user, who is one of those PC players who closes everything else while playing for peak FPS graphs, believes that this change might boost sales.
However, it's important to note that the EA Desktop App is still listed as a login requirement for Battlefield 6 on its store page. Steam players of Battlefield 6 will need an EA account to play. The user, who has been playing Rainbow Six Siege X through Ubisoft Connect after realizing it was also available on PC Game Pass, is interested in the opinions of others regarding this change.
As the gaming industry continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see if more publishers follow EA's lead and simplify the gaming experience by reducing or eliminating the need for multiple launchers.
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- The user was thrilled about playing Battlefield 6 natively on Steam, as it would eliminate the need to run two launchers simultaneously, potentially streamlining their gaming experience.
- The user suggested that other publishers should reduce the need for multiple launchers, also known as "launcher bloat", to improve the convenience of gaming and eliminate unnecessary complexity.
- With Battlefield 6, the user anticipates that fewer launchers would be needed, which they believe might boost sales, considering that many PC gamers prefer a simpler gaming experience for peak FPS performance.
