Updated
Updated · Kotaku · Jun 23
Owlcat Games Scraps PC Launcher in Under 24 Hours After 2,000 Fan Complaints
Updated
Updated · Kotaku · Jun 23

Owlcat Games Scraps PC Launcher in Under 24 Hours After 2,000 Fan Complaints

3 articles · Updated · Kotaku · Jun 23

Summary

  • Less than 24 hours after unveiling it, Owlcat Games pulled its new PC launcher for Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader and reverted the game to its previous patch, removing all launcher-related changes.
  • Nearly 2,000 comments piled onto the announcement as players reported Rogue Trader sometimes would not launch, the tool consumed extra PC resources, and it could keep running in the background even when disabled.
  • Owlcat had pitched the launcher on June 22 as an optional hub for news, patches and add-ons that required no mandatory registration, but the backlash forced a rapid reversal and apology.
  • The rollback won praise from some fans for its speed, underscoring how quickly PC players can reject new launchers even when they are not required.

Insights

After its launcher failure, how will Owlcat rebuild trust for its upcoming space opera RPG?
Why do developers risk creating new launchers when even giants struggle to compete with Steam?