Yes, You Can Add Ubisoft Games to Your Steam Library

The short answer is yes – the majority of Ubisoft games purchased on Ubisoft Connect can be manually added to your Steam library for easy access. While you‘ll still need to run them through Ubisoft Connect, adding Ubisoft games to your Steam collection helps consolidate your PC gaming library.

A Brief History of Ubisoft Games on Steam

In the early 2010s, most major Ubisoft releases were available on Valve‘s Steam marketplace. However, in 2019 Ubisoft made the controversial decision to begin selling new releases like The Division 2, Anno 1800, and Watch Dogs Legion exclusively through their Uplay storefront (now called Ubisoft Connect).

Ubisoft cited Steam‘s 30% revenue cut as "unrealistic" [1]. Making games exclusive to Uplay allowed Ubisoft to retain more sales revenue.

As you can see in the table below, this strategy successfully increased Uplay‘s share of Ubisoft game activations from 20% to over 70% by 2021:

However, in late 2022 Ubisoft softened their approach and returned to releasing major titles like Assassin‘s Creed Valhalla on Steam once again. As a passionate gamer, I see this as a win-win – Ubisoft still promotes their Ubisoft Connect platform while enabling Steam customers access to new releases.

Step-By-Step Guide to Add Ubisoft Games to Steam

Here is the complete process for manually adding your Ubisoft Connect games to the Steam library:

1. Purchase the Ubisoft Game – Buy your desired game through the official Ubisoft Store or approved 3rd party retailer to get a Ubisoft Connect game key. Activate it in the Ubisoft Connect desktop app.

2. Open Steam and Go to "Add a Non-Steam Game" – In your Steam library, click the "Games" dropdown menu and select "Add a Non-Steam Game to My Library."

3. Browse to the Game‘s Executable – In the window that opens, click "Browse" and go to the install location of your Ubisoft game. The default is C:\Program Files (x86)\Ubisoft[Game Name]. Select the game‘s executable.

4. Add to Steam Library – With the executable selected, click "Add Selected Programs" to place this Ubisoft Connect game into your Steam collection.

5. Launch Game from Steam – You can now launch your Ubisoft game like any Steam title, though Ubisoft Connect will still open to run it. Enjoy!

Once added to Steam, your Ubisoft games gain useful Steam features like screenshots, controller configuration, remote play, and the Steam overlay.

Ubisoft Connect vs. Steam Feature Comparison

So which platform – Ubisoft Connect or Steam – delivers the better overall user experience? As a gaming enthusiast, I compared their key features across categories like social tools, server quality, download speeds, and gameplay recording:

Based on my research, Steam edges out Ubisoft Connect in areas like server performance, download speeds, and social features. However, Ubisoft Connect downloads are still consistently fast enough for smooth gaming. Both provide useful gameplay recording options.

If playing with Steam friends is crucial or you want the absolute fastest updates, Steam may serve you better. But you can ultimately achieve solid performance purchasing Ubisoft‘s latest releases directly from Ubisoft Connect.

The Pros and Cons of Buying on Steam vs Ubisoft Connect

As a dedicated gamer, I weighed the major pros and cons of acquiring new Ubisoft releases on Steam versus Ubisoft Connect:

Steam Benefits

• Integration with existing Steam game library and friends lists
• Larger multiplayer player base for many titles
• Faster content download speeds in most regions
• More fully-featured social tools and networking

Potential Downsides of Steam

• Cannot transfer full Ubisoft Cross-platform Progression
• No guarantee future Ubisoft games will be on Steam

Ubisoft Connect Benefits

• Cross-platform progression across all devices
• Exclusive challenges and rewards
• More direct support of Ubisoft developers
• Frequent discounts on new releases

Potential Ubisoft Connect Downsides

• Smaller player population than Steam for some games
• Less robust Steamworks integration and features
• Slower background download speeds

Reviewing this comparison shows that while Steam offers faster speeds and social tools, you sacrifice unified progression and exclusive Ubisoft Connect rewards. There‘s compelling reasons to buy Ubisoft games through either marketplace.

My Recommendation for Gamers

After evaluating their pros, cons, and features, for most players, I recommend buying your Ubisoft games directly through Ubisoft Connect rather than Steam.

Ubisoft‘s unified progression system outshines Steamworks – you can switch seamlessly between PC, console and cloud installs of each release while retaining full access to progression, achievements, customization, and add-on content purchases.

And while their server speeds and social options still lag behind Steam, Ubisoft Connect has all the essential community features needed to consistently enjoy Ubisoft‘s gorgeous open worlds. When it comes to reliable access and unified experiences across all your devices, you simply can‘t beat native Ubisoft Connect integration.

But no matter your final purchasing choice, adding each Ubisoft game manually into your Steam library helps conveniently consolidate your entire PC game catalog. I hope this guide helps gamers make an informed decision for their favorite Ubisoft franchises!

1. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2019-07-31-ubisoft-entering-agreements-to-release-titles-on-epics-store