are you happy using too many launchers on pc nowaday?

No, I find it really annoying. I don't remember which game I have where.

I've probably even bought some games on Steam I didn't know I already had somewhere else on some shitty launcher I installed for some reason years ago.

Only use steam/origin and Blizzard, ill think I can manage...

Steam and GOG is all I need

Use Steam/GoG, all others can get fucked.

Steam - Superb service, all my shit on it, almost single-handedly saved pc gaming with a pc gaming ethos while other companies ran off to console

GOG - They give more of a shit about the quality of the product, but lack Steams features, generally, pro-consumer

Only used Origin for the CnC colllection, which is the only correctly priced, decent thing on EA's service. The rest is overpriced shit with fake graphs listing "most popular popular version" - Which just always happens to be the most expensive, weird dat.

EA are pieces of shit, and supporting pieces of shit makes the pile larger, attracts flies and makes the stench far greater. Just, as a company, no interest in supporting them.

Blizzards service is, it just largely has games I have 0 interest in. It was pretty cool of them to support GOG, more companies should do this sort of shit with older game cataloged nobody really gives a crap about anymore. Even turdsticks like EA have a great games just sitting collecting dust.

I use:

Steam - Best experience so far: screenshots, cloud saves, communities, friendslist, guides, steam workshop integration. Other stores should listen to "MC Hammer - U Can't Touch This"

Origin - Works perfectly fine, gave away a bunch of free games. Use it for Battlefield and Need For Speed

Uplay - Works perfectly fine, I love all the free stuff you can get: ingame rewards, sweet OSTs. Use it for the Ubisoft games

Battle.net - Hate it, there are way too many ads on the service and it ruins my experience. Get your Overwatch lootbox ads out of my face! I'm Belgian, we don't take kindly to lootboxes.

MS store - Don't like using it, I have some very bad experiences with using GFWL and I'm unsure if MS is willing to support this for long. I use it for Forza

___________

And this is where I draw the line. I won't be using Bethesda.net and I won't be using Epic Game Launcher

I buy every game I can on GoG. If I can't, or the sale is just too good, I buy it on Steam. From there, I won't buy on anything else unless I have to (e.g., Starcraft on Blizzard). This is how I minimize the splash damage. Even then, it's annoying. Back in the day, all my games were installed manually in ome place, of course

I use Steam for most things.

GOG doesn't require launcher.

I have no problem using Epic, and I have no problem uninstalling the launcher when I'm done. It's not useful for anything except launching.

Don't plan on playing any Ubi/EA/Blizz games, so that's easy.

MS occasionally, but that comes with Windows, so...

To answer your question: No, I'd prefer the GOG style for everything: want game, buy game, install game.

Doesn’t phase me. I only use steam as a launcher. The rest I get from GOG which doesn’t need a launcher.

No, its annoying having to create user names and passwords for 7 different launchers, and having my games split apart like that. i want my collection of games all on one launcher

i just started PC gaming fairly recently ( 2 years) but if i would had known about this before hand i would have stayed on consoles.

Epic and steam for regional pricing and Mac support.

I really only use Steam/Origin and Uplay via Steam if it's an Ubisoft game. It doesn't overly bother me.

Pretty funny that the solution for this, among many other issues people paying for games get, is piratebay. For wanting to combat piracy, the industry sure suck at it.

I really only use Steam. The main reason I even use most of the other launchers such as Origin, Uplay, Battle.net, GOG, Epic Store and Twitch Desktop App is because I got free games through them and/or got a code for them through humble bundle. Having the other launchers don't really bother me though because I just add the games to my Steam library so I can use the overlay. MS Store is the only exception since their shitty UWP practice won't even let you get access to the bat/exe and even if you do manage to add it to Steam you still won't get the overlay in game. Definitely not getting games outside of 1st party exclusives or dirt cheap games on the MS Store.

I'm a bit ashamed that I don't use GOG as much not because games are DRM free but because they offer some really good deals on games that are better than what you find on Steam and even Humble Bundle sometimes. I need to make it a habit to check the GOG store for sales more often like I do with Humble Bundle.

I'm not super frustrated YET by the quantity of launchers. But I have had my first instance of almost buying a game twice because I didn't remember already buying it on another platform (Frostpunk through GOG). And that is a problem. I am starting to have a problem with it. But I also recognize that there are some semi-solutions to this problem already: Programs that unify all these accounts into one program. They just don't work for all these launchers yet, and not 100% accurately.

I’m not happy but I’m also not gonna be a b**** boy about it.

Doesn't bother me. Just steam, origin, ubisoft one and gog.

I don't use any tbh. So I couldn't care. If I want to play MP, I'll go on console.

I don’t game on PC but if I did I don’t think that using a bunch of different launchers would bother me at all.

I don't really care that much. its a mild inconvenience. I remember the days of going to the store, buying a game with 6 CDs and having to install the game by swapping out the CDs one by one. that was inconvenient.

in most cases I just add non-steam games to steam and launch them through steam anyways.

though Epic doesn't allow this, as if they needed another reason to not like them. not sure you can do this with Windows Store games either.

lol at hermits complaining about clicking a desktop icon and waiting 10 seconds for a launcher to load.

You guys are SAD.

I absolutely don't give a **** about the launchers. Discord already provides me with the friends list and vchat so I the launchers are all worthless to me beyond the games list.

Don't really care. I'd actually prefer to have multiple launchers all competing with one another if it means I'll have more pro-consumer options.

Nah.... but if the game is on steam or will be on steam I will wait it out. Want to continue game collection and perfect game count in one spot. Just like yall like to keep your PSN and XBL accounts going. Nothing wrong with that.

If anything... Epics shady practices allowed me to find out how great Uplay launcher is for Ubi games. Integrates nicely with in-game progress.

LOL at all these topic posts..

Keep tryharding.

Not really. It's not a big issue but I have steam running all the time because I use it for more than just launching video games and having to launch more programs to launch certain other programs is a bit bloaty. Once I'm done with those games I literally shut the program down but not steam. Steam I have running constantly

It takes less than a second to click on things. If you're actually bothered by this you either need to exercise or get on Paxil. I can call the wahmbulance for you, if you'd like.

I use Steam Battle.net, sometimes Epic for those Unreal Tournament memories, and now Origin because of Apex. I think it's getting to be a bit much, but you can always close the launcher after you are finished playing the game. I also run Discord for the chat but I do not use it as a launcher.

@IMAHAPYHIPPO: just to be clear, the issue isn't the number of launchers. The issue is the varying experience with them.

If you've never tried, you won't get it.

Concrete examples from personal experience:

games that freeze or crash on Xbox app but work fine on Steam.

Axiom verge weird screen flickering on Epic's POS. Works fine on Steam, even with Linux drivers. Happy to support the dev on that one.

Weird crossplay issues with friends using other "platforms". Sometimes you flat out can't.

Mod support all over the place from one to the next.

Some games that work like a charm on, e.g., GoG are a broken mess on others like Steam or Uplay.

Etc. It's not just people being lazy, no matter how much bread_or_decide says so. It's like owning a bunch of consoles to play different exclusives, when some of the consoles suck way more than others. It's not fun, and if you could play all the games on the best console you had then you would. Saying "it only takes a second to click the power button on the different consoles" doesn't address the issue.

That's why I like GoG. It allows me to skip the bullshit and just play the game the way I want. Sadly, there are many games it doesn't have, and the "crossplay" issues can still exist since the other platforms, and not GoG, are the source of the problem

Appreciate the response and the clarification, and yeah, I use, or have used, just about all of these services. I think PC gamers have become accustomed to the stability the unified platform Steam has provided for the last generation and a half, but I think it's masked the fact that you're still playing games on PC, and these services are merely proxies for playing games on PC.

I'm not attempting to make this a system wars/console.vs.PC conversation, but this variation in services is a perfect example of what consoles offer that PC won't ever be able to. PC will always be an open platform where anybody can do basically whatever they want, within reason, and this kind of disparity is always going to be the trade off for the kind of freedom gamers are offered playing games on PC.

PC is emblematic of choice when it comes to gamers, but that kind of open playing field will always inevitably lead to diversity in ways that won't always be in the best interest of the consumer.

Again, I'm not attempting to make this a system wars argument, but everything you've listed represents what's always going to be the disadvantage of PC gaming.

@IMAHAPYHIPPO: honestly, I'm just happy to give a serious response and get a serious response back! Some days, it seems like there's no place on GS to actually talk about gaming (other forums get no response, this one get barf) :-p

At any rate, you're right, though, it's the basic cost of having an open platform. It's got its pros and cons to be sure

Not a big fan. Almost bought Tom Clancy Splinter Cell games a little while ago on Steam almost forgetting I already got them through a bundle on UPlay.

Wow, 9 launchers. No wonder herms hate consoles. We just have 1 profile.

It's really not that trying, especially when you can shop for better prices. It's annoying that they don't offer unilateral features... I use Discord for chat nowadays and it works like a charm across multiple games. It's a trade-off at the end of the day. Not terrible, but not that great.

I went with "I don't care, because I'm PC master race" and I use lots of launchers for various reasons and never care about how many launchers I have. Steam, GoG, Epic Store, UPlay, Blizzard.net, Origin, & Discord. This is just me saying, yeah whatever.

I only use steam, and battle net (for Diablo 3), so It does not bother me. I will NEVER use the Epic store.

It's a bit cumbersome, but meh. Not really a big deal.

I don't like using many launchers because I like to keep my set-up pretty simple & straight forward kind of thing. Everything in one place.

People whining about launchers need to get some perspective.... the level of entitlement is ridiculous.

1) Game Makers can distribute THEIR games wherever they damn well please... nobody cares bout your profiles.

2) Its 2019 .... you have things like Last Pass to autofill out forms , generate and save passwords .... you set up the launcher ONCE and they log you in.... again in 2019 where practically everything you do requires a login of some sort....

3) The performance impact with an abundance of un-used CPU and RAM is absolutely negligible these days... could have 50 launchers running and next to 0 affect on games.

I mean, I get the minor frustrations, but for ffs grow up, STEAM is not the face of PC gaming, its a damn store that just has a dominant foothold. Even with more launchers, everything is still easier than the old days

Yea... and with it you have 1 digital store which monopolises prices.... yay for you? lol.

It's pathetic, for sure.

@kali-b1rd: But we never saw a price hike because Steam had a 'monopoly' on the market?

Also, Steam never truly had a monopoly on the market. There were plenty of places to get your games, and even to get steam keys (humble bundle store, greenmangaming, brick and mortar stores, ....)

Pretty much how i think about it. You log into your games anyway as i mostly play online games. If there is a launcher infront of it or not i couldn't care.

It's just the entitled steamy's that honestly got brainwashed by forums to think that valve was the only store. They where always one of the many. And nothing more. I honestly wonder the critical thinking capability of some people.

Also lol at those console drones thinking they get a better deal with there 1 profile. lamo. If you want to log in once use indeed a autofill password program and never bother with it again.

Beyond me how anybody can defend consoles and laugh at PC's. There whole infrastructure is ancient, there prices are hot garbage, no competition, drm to the end of the earth. Yea sounds great guys. Let alone the janky visuals / laggy inputs / shitty control setups etc.

Also topic started question is beyond idiotic. who is happy about launchers anyway or anything for the matter that sits in front of games.

Maybe monopoly was the wrong word, just sheer dominance because they were ahead of the game. (and still are)

Hmm, I use Steam, Uplay (because you have to) and then sometimes Origin, Battle.net and Rockstars GTA V launcher.

So I can manage

Refuse to ever use GOG and Tencent´s launcher.

Yeah I think neither situation is ideal.

Valve's dominance would mean developers would have no other place to sell and no other way but to pay Valve.

But now there are too many sharks in the water that have smelled blood. And we have launchers popping up like mushrooms.

The best situation for the customer I think would be to make games cheaper on other launchers, because of Valve's cut that they can cut out: pass on your profits to the customer.

Not an monopoly, just lack of competition is the correct word and despite some are saying Epic is bringing competition to Steam is a loud of crap. Epic is buying it's way to be top dog then competing is what's happening.

Also, Valve isn't entirely responsible for the situation they found themselves in: 'monopoly' / lack of competition.

A lot of companies were all too happy to abandon PC gaming, citing 'piracy' and 'teh console sales'. A lot of those are returning as well, and they are finding that the void they left has been filled already.

People act like Valve have done nothing but sit on their asses, not realizing all the features and benefits Valve have added to Steam over the years before the Epic Store was even mentioned to the public. Not to mention them getting more involved in hardware with their VR headset, Steam controller, Steam Link and their failed Steam Machines. Oh yeah Valve have also made Linux gaming a lot more accessible than in past. Their Steam Machine campaign started to get more devs to consider porting games to Linux and major game engines supporting it and now Steamplay will allow people to emulate Windows games on Linux. They've greatly helped Linux become a much more accessible alternative to Windows for gaming. Steam is not just the best platform on PC but for gaming in general greatly surpassing PSN, XBL and whatever Nintendo has in features and quality.

I got Steam, Galaxy, Origin and uPlay installed.

Steam is regularly used and I'm very satisfied with it. GOG's Galaxy was only 'beta tested' and never run with it not that I had problems with (GOG games are directly downloaded on their website). EA's Origin is rarely run (only if there was a giveaway game) and uPlay is regularly used as well because I sometimes play The Division 1 and Rainbow 6 Siege) while my cousin always play those 2 games regularly on my pc. Epic Launcher was so meh and lackluster but that was when UT was playable alpha and Fortnite was NOT yet in development. Rockstar's Social Club was uninstalled after I finished and uninstall Max Payne 3.

P. S. My Epic Launcher and UT was previously installed on my dead hard disk.