Is the Battle.net PC Launcher Going to Become a Microsoft Games Launcher?

[SunshinePuppies]

Question is pretty much the thread title.

Do you see Microsoft continuing the Blizzard launcher after acquisition completes, do you see them making it a Microsoft PC launcher, or do you see them just throwing it away altogether and continue the Steam and MS Store approach? I personally don't see them keeping up the launcher, to me it seems like they're happy with their Game Pass/Steam pincer approach, but at the same time CoD on the PC as well as the classic Blizzard franchises are so associated with that launcher and branding that I can see an argument for them keeping it going.

 

[Dio]

Steam and MS store/xbox launcher.

 

[Milennia]

We still have the Bethesda launcher

 

[ShadowGP]

No Blizzard launcher going away.

 

[dex3108]

They have yet to shut down Bethesda launcher. And no they will push for Windows Store because they already have that installed on more PCs than there is probably all other launcher combined.

 

[WonderingRogue]

I'm hoping they throw all of their stupid launcher sin the garbage and just go with Steam from now on.

 

[arts&crafts]

please no. I will buy the games if they are on Steam or DRM free but not going to be Battlenetting.

 

[Crax]

Please make it so. The Battle.net launcher actually downloads and updates my games when I tell it to.

 

[Deleted member 93062]

Needs support for achievements but I really hope so, it's not perfect but better than Xbox app.

 

[SunBroDave]

It's dead, Jim

 

[dgrdsv]

Games developed after the merger will launch in WinStore and other PC platforms.
Games which are in Bnet right now will probably remain there, with some possible exemptions being GAAS titles (Warzone, WOW) which will migrate to WinStore and possibly other platforms.

 

[RobbRivers]

What about games already bought or (old games such as starcraft 1 and wc3), you lose them?

 

[CONCHOBAR]

No. It's either going to be quietly phased out like the Bethesda Launcher, or it's just gonna be for Blizzard games.

 

[SunshinePuppies]

What about games already bought or (old games such as starcraft 1 and wc3), you lose them?

Click to shrink...

A possible solution I can see is allowing you to redeem bought games on Windows App Store. The dream is Steam for me but not sure how that will pan out, worked for Destiny 2 tho

 

[Richietto]

I think everything but like WoW will have a windows store version for Gamepass and what not.

 

[Henrar]

They have Windows Store, Bethesda Launcher i and not Battle.net and I doubt they are going to maintain the other two as there's no point, it will be cheaper to move the games to Windows Store and close the others in the long run.

 

[ShapeDePapa]

Please make it so. The Battle.net launcher actually downloads and updates my games when I tell it to.

Click to shrink...

Yeah having to load up the MS store every time a game needs an update is pretty dumb. At least Bnet works well!

 

[Lump]

Needs to be the other way around. Xbox Game Launcher (or PC Game Pass Launcher or whatever Microsoft calls it these days) is shitty and it didn't get any better in Windows 11. Microsoft should just dump their whole solution and go with Battle.net.

 

[Fawz]

It's not a bad launcher when compared to EGS, Ubisoft Connect, EA Origin (Both versions) and the Rockstar launcher. I don't mind it staying around for a while, but I do hope it gets phased out to consolidate into the Xbox App & Steam instead of being mandatory to use

 

[Deleted member 17860]

just re name it but for fucks SAKKKKKKKE i dont want anything like the fucking MS store... or the shitty performance or bugs or anything like that... :/



or just move them all to steam .. ;)

 

[Dark Ninja]

Hopefully its better than alot of the other crap thats out there.

 

[DaveLong]

Please make it so. The Battle.net launcher actually downloads and updates my games when I tell it to.

Click to shrink...

This right here. It also deletes them when you tell it to, something Microsoft's app is often incapable of doing correctly.

 

[beelulzebub]

I'm legitimately shocked there are even sub-20% of people that still want to keep this thing around.

 

[DaveLong]

I'm legitimately shocked there are even sub-20% of people that still want to keep this thing around.

Click to shrink...

Have you used Microsoft's app on PC?

 

[Ra]

Activate dark mode and rebrand Battle.net as the Xbox App, leave the Microsoft Store wholesale.

 

[Xater]

It will be Steam and MS store in the future.

 

[SunshinePuppies]

Activate dark mode and rebrand Battle.net as the Xbox App, leave the Microsoft Store wholesale.

Click to shrink...

Yeah I can see this happening, this seems like the easiest solution that allows MS to smoothly get a good working PC launcher and be able to keep a larger cut than they would have with Steam. I just hope if they go this route they don't keep games exclusive to this launcher.

 

[Firebrand]

Tbh it's a pretty good launcher. Much, much snappier than say the Xbox one, then again it also only has a handful of games on it.

 

[Falchion]

Long term I think all the games will transition to the new Microsoft store.

 

[AshenOne]

Blizzard launcher has too big of a community to go away. It'll remain optional but current(?) and future requested games are definitely coming to STEAM and Windows Store as well.

 

[iamsirjoshua]

The deal won't close until some time in 2023. It will take several years after that for Activision to become more integrated into Microsoft as an operating division. It's been a year since the Zenimax acquisition closed and they are still operating largely independently, but that will surely change over time.

It's tempting to ask these questions today, but they are years away from being answered. Microsoft doesn't even know.

 

[darkness]

If it's going to replace the Xbox App, then yes please. Xbox app is just awful.

 

[Right]

Please kill the Microsoft store

 

[AaronMT]

Very much doubt you will see any change in that space for Blizzard. They are not going to change all their back and front-end infra for the sake of change.

 

[Sabin]

Depends how much it is integrated into current title but i can see it getting opt-out in the next few years

 

[Tomacco]

You'd think with the resources available to them via the teams that work on:

* Bethesda Launcher
* BattleNet
* Xbox App

They'd be able to build a single app that doesn't completely suck

 

[jon bones]

Diablo IV coming to Steam Deck is pretty legit consequence of this, not gonna lie

 

[SunshinePuppies]

Diablo IV coming to Steam Deck is pretty legit consequence of this, not gonna lie

Click to shrink...

This is a stealth port begging thread for Diablo IV on Deck

 

[Lashley]

it's better than the MS Store, so I'd hope they use some of the tech there to improve that

It'll survive though, like the bethesda launcher

 

[SaberVS7]

It stays, but atrophies until in about five years when they do an Account Migration to Microsoft Accounts.

Just like with the Minecraft Launcher.

I fully expect the same to happen with Bethesda.Net accounts after all their 3rd Party obligations currently in progress are concluded.

 

[Jroc]

I'd rather have Battle.net expand to include Gamepass

 

[flyinj]

Activate dark mode and rebrand Battle.net as the Xbox App, leave the Microsoft Store wholesale.

Click to shrink...

THIS

My god if this acquisition puts PC Gamepass on a stable platform and removes it from the AppX/MS store debacle it will be a total blessing.

 

[Thrill_house]

Keep it alive. The MS store is a GOD DAMNED ABOMINATION. Nothing but bullshit dealing with that. MS has been so fucking incompetent with their storefronts that I just can not trust them

 

[hlhbk]

For all things holy take it down and put all Blizzard/Activision games on ms store and Steam.

The less launchers there is the better!

 

[slothrop]

Another question that is not knowable now, won't happen until well after the acquisition which doesn't even close for a year if it does, and is unlikely to be decided at MS yet. Obviously the launcher does not serve much strategic purpose for MS so my guess is they will just let it atrophy as they integrate with Gamepass. But this will take years and I do not think it possible to say much of substance on the topic yet

 

[Dosmo]

I expect eventually they'll merge everything into the same launcher, but that could take years.

 

[Gr8one]

What about games already bought or (old games such as starcraft 1 and wc3), you lose them?

Click to shrink...

Blizzard already took wc3 from you after they gutted it when they merged online with the wc3 "remaster". Maybe with MS at that helm we will actually get wc3 back.

 

[bob1001]

I'll go against the grain and say literally any launcher is better than the Xbox app, so I would be ok with it. At the very least I won't have to format my PC when it randomly decides that games can't be uninstalled.

 

[dgrdsv]

You'd think with the resources available to them via the teams that work on:

* Bethesda Launcher
* BattleNet
* Xbox App

They'd be able to build a single app that doesn't completely suck

Click to shrink...

Each new app appearing in this space seem to suck more than any of the previous ones. It's a curse or something.

 

[secretanchitman]

It's the best launcher that's not Steam so I could totally see Microsoft using it as their future PC game client.

That being said, whatever choice they make I sincerely hope they'll put all old/new Activision-Blizzard games on Steam. That would honestly solve a ton of headache and keep everyone happy.