2K removes its launcher from all games, but some files need to be deleted manually

It was in August that publisher 2K and Civilization franchise developer Firaxis revealed that the widely detested 2K Launcher is being removed from existing and upcoming strategy games. Since then, the launcher has gotten the boot from all other 2K-published titles, including XCOM, Bioshock, Mafia, and other franchises.

Today, Neowin found that 2K sent out an update across Steam to its games, aiming to remove what remaining files it can from game directories related to the launcher. The folder that held the original launcher installation will only have a 2kLauncherRemoved.txt file now, which can also be manually deleted.

However, those who had the 2K Launcher installed for a game in the past will have some leftover files in their PCs, spread across two locations. These can be found in the Local and Roaming folders inside the AppData folder under the name "T2GP Launcher", and they have to be manually deleted.

Here are the instructions:

• Open your computer’s File Explorer
• Select “View” at the top of the window and toggle on the “Hidden items” option
• Click “This PC” and open the C drive
• From here, open the “Users” folder and choose your Windows profile username
• Open “AppData”
• Open the Local folder and delete the “T2GP Launcher” folder
• Go back to the “AppData” folder
• Finally, open the Roaming folder and delete the “T2GP Launcher” folder

The final step to make sure the 2K Launcher is gone is to restart Steam or the Epic Games Store fully, with the company even going on to recommend a full system reboot.

While most 2K-published games (like Bioshock Remastered, Bioshock 2 Remastered, Bioshock Infinite, The Quarry, and Marvel’s Midnight Suns) will now simply launch without an additional launcher login requirement, the removal does affect some games on a deeper level.

It's mostly good news, though. For example, XCOM 2 and Chimera Squad games will use a separate mod launcher instead of the 2K launcher built-in one, which also enables modding on the Steam Deck. However, over on the Epic Games Store, Civilization VI will now require a special launch option to run the game using DirectX 12. Head here to read the 2K Support page for details on each affected game.