Ubisoft has confirmed it’s testing a way to strip the Ubisoft Connect launcher requirement out of at least one Steam game, starting with Prince of Persia The Lost Crown. The publisher verified the announcement after a Steam news post describing the new Ubisoft Connect Services tool began circulating, and has since pinned it to the game’s regular Steam news feed for anyone to read.

What The Test Actually Covers

The pitch is simple: keep the features people actually use from Connect without forcing them to install or launch the separate desktop app. According to the confirmed Steam announcement, that includes cross-progression, cross-play, player safety tools, challenges, and rewards.

For years, buying a Ubisoft game on Steam still meant a second sign-in screen and a launcher window nobody asked for. This test is Ubisoft’s attempt to fold that account layer into the background instead of making it a visible, separate step.

Detail Status Test game Prince of Persia The Lost Crown Connect PC launcher required? No, per Ubisoft’s stated intent for this tool Features retained Cross-progression, cross-play, player safety, challenges, rewards Wider Steam catalog rollout Not yet confirmed; no date or game list given Ubisoft’s Own Framing

Ubisoft was careful to call this a first step rather than a finished feature. “This first version is an initial step toward a smoother and more streamlined launch experience on Steam,” the company said in the confirmed announcement.

“We will continue to iterate and improve Ubisoft Connect Services over time, with the goal of delivering the features and services players use and expect while making the Steam experience as seamless as possible. Ubisoft Connect Services will progressively evolve and roll out to more Ubisoft games on Steam in the future,” the statement continued.

What Isn’t Confirmed Yet

Notably, the original post reportedly only showed up for people who already owned The Lost Crown on Steam, which is a strange way to announce a change most PC players would cheer. Ubisoft has since made the post publicly visible in the game’s Steam news feed, but the company hasn’t attached a timeline, a list of other eligible titles, or any confirmation that this will extend across its back catalog.

So no, Ubisoft hasn’t ripped Connect out of Steam wholesale. Right now this is one game, one test, and a stated ambition to expand it — everything else is still a wait-and-see.

The post Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown Leads Ubisoft’s Steam Test appeared first on The Escapist.