Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information, you confirm you are aged 16 or over, have read our Privacy Policy and agree to the Terms & Conditions. Geographical rules apply.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • New Games 2026
  • Black Flag Resynced
  • Summer Game Fest 2026 schedule
  • Best gaming gadgets
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Games
  2. Strategy Games
  3. Civilization VII

"Absolute W": PC gamers celebrate as the 2K launcher is removed from Civ 6 and won't be implemented for Civ 7

News
By Anna Koselke published 15 August 2024

+5 era score

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Civilization 7 reveal trailer screenshot showing a man wearing mining gear while wielding a massive hammer above his head, his expression pained
(Image credit: Firaxis Games)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter

Civilization 7 was confirmed just a few months ago, and it looks like it's already off to a good start—the game will not utilize the 2K launcher, which predecessors like Civ 6 also axed.

Let's face it: launchers are annoying, which is a sentiment that most PC gamers would agree with. If you're already using Steam, why grapple with publishers' extra launchers on top of Valve's own? That's a question fans of Sid Meier's Civilization series have often wondered, thanks to the 2K launcher - but they won't need to anymore. In a recent announcement, Firaxis Games community manager Sarah Engel reveals just that.

2K Launcher has been removed from Civ 6 and will not be implemented for Civ 7 from r/civ

"Earlier today, the 2K launcher has been removed from Civ 6 on Steam, with plans to also remove it on Epic in the near future," writes Engel. "I'm also confirming that Civ 7 will NOT utilize the 2K launcher." 

Latest Videos From
You may like
  • Hatshepsut in Civilization 7 Civilization 7's failures are Take-Two boss's "responsibility"
  • Screenshots of Civilization 7 for review How Civilization 7's devs worked with players to get its huge Test of Time overhaul right
  • GTA 6 GTA 6 skipping PC at launch not due to PlayStation deal, but to focus on "the core consumer"

Unsurprisingly, fans largely seem ecstatic in the responses. "Thank goodness," reads one excited player's reply. "I am very tired of having half a dozen launchers on my computer in addition to Steam."

"Absolute W," says another grateful fan. "Just fell to my knees at a Walmart." The news is especially welcome as the 2K launcher has been a hot topic among Civ players for a good few years now - from full-blown guides on Steam instructing others on how they can bypass it entirely to countless threads on forums like Reddit expressing the disappointment in having to go through it, the community has long sought to be rid of it.

We're finally getting a Civilization 7 gameplay reveal at Gamescom, and a whole "20+ minute deep dive" at that

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
CATEGORIES
PC Gaming Platforms
Anna Koselke
Anna Koselke
Social Links Navigation
Staff Writer

After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.

Read more
Hatshepsut in Civilization 7
Strategy Games Civilization 7's failures are Take-Two boss's "responsibility"
 
 
Screenshots of Civilization 7 for review
Strategy Games How Civilization 7's devs worked with players to get its huge Test of Time overhaul right
 
 
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 skipping PC at launch not due to PlayStation deal, but to focus on "the core consumer"
 
 
Lords of the Fallen 2
Action RPGs Lords of the Fallen 2 looks destined for Steam as CI Games reportedly ends agreement with Epic
 
 
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 parent company Take-Two reportedly lays off its head of AI due to "shifting priorities from upper management"
 
 
Two characters in S&box
Games Garry's Mod follow-up S&box will launch on Steam with "sustainable" payout for content creators
 
 
Latest in Strategy Games
A screenshot of Tiger Warriors in battle from Total War: Warhammer 3's Bhashiva character pack
Total War What Total War: Warhammer 3's first character pack means for future DLC: "We know there are loads of fan-favorite characters out there"
 
 
Screenshots of Civilization 7 for review
Strategy Games How Civilization 7's devs worked with players to get its huge Test of Time overhaul right
 
 
Forbidden Solitaire live action trailer wizard
Strategy Games "What is even happening": Dev reels over 1,000 Steam reviews sitting at 96% positive
 
 
Two fully painted Warhammer: Cities of Sigmar models against a plain background
Tabletop Gaming City of Ash is one of my favorite Warhammer box sets in years, and it's finally back in stock
 
 
A group of painted Ultramarines on a wooden table
Tabletop Gaming I'm excited for the Warhammer 40K 11th Edition, but it's missing something vital
 
 
A prepainted Warhammer terrain piece on a dusty battlefield board
Tabletop Gaming Warhammer reveals pre-painted terrain, so soon you'll have a beautiful battlefield out of the box
 
 
Latest in News
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Action RPGs Warhorse's new Kingdom Come "adventure" is most definitely "a game," Embracer CEO confirms
 
 
Yoshi and the Mysterious Boook screenshot of Yoshi smiling with eyes closed
Games "Unless you're Nintendo," developers should never price games over $70, expert says
 
 
Subnautica character stands in front of yellow wall
Survival Games Subnautica 2 adding "better callouts for Silver" in first patch as players struggle to find any
 
 
A cropped closeup of Adwale in Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced
Assassin's Creed Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced "ranks among the best titles in the franchise" for pre-orders
 
 
Homelander in the Oval Office in The Boys season 5
Superhero Shows The Boys showrunner explains what the VCU could look like in future spin-offs after the series finale
 
 
Milly Alcock as Supergirl in a behind the scenes featurette
DC Movies DC boss says Supergirl will return in Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow: "She's a major part of what we're doing"
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Kingdom Come: Deliverance
    1
    Warhorse's new Kingdom Come "adventure" is most definitely "a game," Embracer CEO confirms
  2. 2
    The Boys season 5 wasn't my favorite, but seeing the finale in 4DX made it all worth it
  3. 3
    "Unless you're Nintendo," developers should never price games over $70, expert says
  4. 4
    Subnautica 2 adding "better callouts for Silver" in first patch as players struggle to find any
  5. 5
    Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced "ranks among the best titles in the franchise" for pre-orders

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...