2K has fully removed its unpopular launcher from PC, meaning you can play the likes of XCOM and BioShock on Steam and Epic without the faff of dealing with another barrier to access.
2K explains on its support page that on November 18, the 2K launcher was removed from every game that used it on Steam and Epic, and a second update went out on November 25 to ensure that it was truly removed on Steam. And yes, that includes special beta launchers like the one you got for Civilization 5.
“We’ve done the heavy lifting, but to take it all the way home there might be one step left for you,” the publisher explains. “First thing is to try closing and reopening Steam – that means completely closing and not just using the X to minimize the platform. Rebooting your PC is a good way to be sure it happened. For Epic, just make sure you’ve downloaded the most recent update for the game.”
As a result of the changes, Bioshock games and the likes of Marvel’s Midnight Suns and The Quarry can just be booted up from Steam or Epic. You can do the same in XCOM games but have additional options to open a new or old mod launcher. Mafia: Definitive Edition Trilogy, meanwhile, can also be booted up without a launcher if you fancy it, though you have the option to bring that one back.
The move is welcome, though perhaps one we’ve seen coming for a while. Just last August, we learned that the 2K Launcher was being removed from Civ 6 and wouldn’t feature in Civilization 7. And now, it just won’t feature at all – an early Christmas present for PC gamers, as a treat.