The 5 best game launchers and what makes them stand out

Hundreds of millions of players use first-party PC game launchers daily. And though they can get a bad rap - as players feel the strain of running multiple launchers at the same time or the inconvenience of managing libraries across different clients - implementing the right features into a launcher can completely redefine the experience, so that it’s not just tolerable, but worth it. The best game launchers go beyond being simple download hubs - they offer social, community, and content systems as well. 

So, how can yours succeed as the best game launcher app, offering better convenience, customization, and community features while avoiding common pitfalls and decreasing player frustrations? Here are the 5 best game launchers and the features that make them stand out, according to real user reviews.

1. The Riot Client keeps it fresh and informed

The Riot Client serves as a central hub for players to access Riot's suite of games, like League of Legends, VALORANT, Legends of Runeterra, and Teamfight Tactics. It drives tens of millions of players monthly, making it one of the best all in one game launchers. 

Consistent communication

The Riot Client does a solid job of building trust with its players by keeping communication clear and consistent. As one Reddit user said, Riot Games “puts in effort to inform their community of upcoming changes and what they hope to achieve going forward.” 

How do they keep tens of millions of players in the loop all at once? Like the Riot Client, be sure to implement a handy section packed with news, updates, and in-game event announcements. 

Automatic updates

Once an update is announced, the Riot Client takes care of the heavy lifting by automatically updating all installed games. That means players are always ready to play with the latest patches and features - no extra effort required. Riot Games is already known for being top-tier when it comes to keeping games fresh, and the auto-update feature just makes it even better. As one Reddit user put it, “Two updates per month is huge compared with other games,” while another chimed in, “A lot of this community doesn’t realize how well we actually have it with Riot. Bi-weekly patches all season long.” 

Even better, according to the YouTube account, Remus, Riot is rolling out a new client hub for all their games, packed with features like Riot profiles, match history for every game all in one spot, patch notes, guides, and upgraded friends lists. 

Take a page from Riot Games' playbook: make updates a priority to keep players excited and loyal. With its seamless updates, clear communication, and exciting new features, the Riot Client sets the standard for what features the best game launcher should have.

2. Plarium Play prioritizes accessibility for all 

Plarium Play is a one-stop hub for accessing Plarium’s hit games like RAID: Shadow Legends, Mech Arena, and Vikings: War of Clans. And guess what? Players are pretty happy with it. In a Reddit poll asking, “Do you use Plarium Play to play RAID?” 230 out of 384 users said, “Yes, and I’m OK with it,” while only 5 said they didn’t use it because of missing features. 

Cross-platform syncing

According to a survey by the Consumer Technology Association, 61% of U.S. gamers play across multiple devices - which is why Cross-Platform Progress Syncing is such a game-changer. 

Plarium Play makes it easy to sync progress across desktop and mobile, so players can pick up right where they left off, no matter what device they’re using. It’s a win for everyone, whether it’s a casual mobile gamer squeezing in some playtime between “adulting” or a dedicated PC player looking to keep their momentum going. 

Including this feature in your game launcher will not not only make playing your games more flexible but also keeps players coming back for more. 

Personalized, user-friendly UI

Plarium Play’s user-friendly interface is another reason it stands out as one of the best game launcher apps. The centralized game library has a sleek, modern design that makes it super easy to switch between games and settings. Plus, it’s got personalized recommendations that suggest new games or in-game content based on what players are into. And the best part? They’re always tweaking and improving. In a recent poll asking, “Do you like the updated UI in RAID when playing on Plarium Play after the 9.20 update?” The highest number of players - 75 to be exact - said they’re happy with the new design. 

With its seamless cross-platform syncing and sleek design, Plarium Play proves it’s more than just one of the best game launchers for windows - it’s a hub that boosts retention and keeps players coming back for more.

3. Ubisoft Connect - the king of connection

Ubisoft Connect is one of the best PC game launchers, offering easy access to hit titles like Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Watch Dogs. As one of the first-ever launchers, Ubisoft Connect has a stable and trustworthy reputation, with one Reddit user stating, “Personally, the only problem I found with Ubisoft Connect was a couple of DLCs not showing but I got them refunded with ease.” 

Community and social features

Ubisoft Connect stands out as one of the best PC game launchers thanks to its community features, like cross-platform chat, friends lists, news updates, rewards, and more. Ubisoft has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to social features. As Charles Huteau, Ubisoft’s creative director for Ubisoft Connect, put it, “A decade ago, Ubisoft was one of the first publishers to enhance players' experience with more services and social features. We wanted to build upon this legacy to fulfill Ubisoft's vision of a global community and bring these benefits to all our players.” 

Be sure to follow Ubisoft's lead in using social features to enhance the player experience.

Rewards systems

Ubisoft Connect keeps things simple when it comes to teaming up with friends, no matter what platform they’re playing on. It also hooks players up with a points-based rewards system where they can dive into time-limited or community challenges to earn some sweet prizes. Players can then stack up points and trade them for exclusive digital goodies like cosmetic skins, weapons, or XP boosts to level up faster. It’s the kind of feature that keeps players coming back while building a sense of community around your games - increasing lifetime value. For those looking to take it up a notch, Ubisoft+ is a subscription service that offers rewards every month on PC, and has a brand-new interface for its catalog of 100-plus games. 

You can elevate your game launcher with extra features to drive engagement and community, such as rewards. With its strong community focus and innovative rewards, Ubisoft Connect continues to set the standard for what the best game launcher should be.

4. Rockstar Games Launcher drives downloads with free perks

The Rockstar Games Launcher is a dedicated Windows app that puts players’ favorite Rockstar titles in one easy spot - from Grand Theft Auto V to Red Dead Redemption 2 and L.A. Noire. But what sets it apart and makes it one of the best game launchers for Windows, driving an estimated millions of people to the platform daily? Let’s break it down.

Cloud saving

The Rockstar Games Launcher brings a ton of handy features to the table, many that have already been mentioned. But one of the real standouts is its cloud save functionality. It’s the ultimate safety net for players’ progress, automatically saving their data to a remote server. Plus, it even lets players easily copy and move their entire save folder, making “save sets” a breeze. As one player put it, this feature is “absolutely essential” for anyone serious about their gaming.

Imagine this: your PC crashes, and your entire game profile is wiped out. Nightmare, right? Not with cloud saves. One player described the experience like this: “The emotional ride of absolute despair to exuberant joy is not one I would recommend, but it was definitely better than sinking into the depths of hell where my non-exaggerated amount of thousands of gameplay hours disappear forever.” 

So, when designing a launcher, make sure cloud saves are front and center - easy to access in settings and, ideally, free for everyone. 

Free downloads for a limited time

Speaking of free perks, Rockstar nailed it when they first launched their game hub on Windows by offering Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas for free to anyone who signed up. It was a great way for you to draw players in from the start. 

The perks didn’t end there. Rockstar Launcher continues to offer promotions and sales at critical points throughout the year to drive new players to sign-up and increase loyalty from existing players. 

With features like free cloud saves and smart promotions, the Rockstar Games Launcher proves it’s one of the best game launchers for Windows, keeping players connected and their progress secure.

5. Battle.net has a need for speed 

Launched in 1996 and one of the oldest game launchers, Battle.net is the official game launcher and digital distribution platform developed by Blizzard Entertainment. Today, Battle.net hosts tens of millions of active players across Blizzard's library of games, from Starcraft 2 to Overwatch. Battle.net’s longevity and continuous evolution make it a standout example of how the best game launchers can adapt over decades while staying relevant in an increasingly competitive space.

Fast download speeds

Battle.net’s secret sauce has always been its focus on performance and reliability over complex bells and whistles. At the core of its design is efficiency - using minimal CPU, RAM, and storage space. Everything about the launcher feels streamlined, from its snappy interface to how quickly it gets you into your favorite games. A Reddit user put it like this: “My download speeds can be just as good as they are on Steam for my high-speed internet at least.”

Unlike some launchers that bog down your system, Battle.net keeps things light. It avoids excessive background processes, staying out of the way while still delivering key notifications and updates when you need them. Another player chimed in: “Battle.net is really lightweight. It gets a lot of hate when it shouldn't. Steam is pretty heavy by comparison and is always eating my RAM when I play games… In short, if performance is your only care, go with BNet.”

As one Reddit user put it, “It just runs smoother without any hiccups…It was a night and day difference as soon as I logged into my first ranked match.” 

What Battle.net teaches us is that while many of the features above are important to the success of your game launcher, it’s important not to lose sight of what gamers really care about: playing games. That’s exactly why Battle.net has remained one of the best game launchers for nearly 30 years. 

What features should you include when building the best game launcher? 

From intuitive design, community-building features, or technical excellence, the launchers highlighted above show how to keep players engaged and coming back for more. 

The Riot Client shines with its seamless communication tools, while Plarium Play makes gaming hassle-free with its cross-platform progress syncing. Ubisoft Connect fosters a sense of community through its engaging rewards and challenges, and Rockstar Games Launcher builds loyalty with enticing free perks and reliable cloud save options. Meanwhile, Battle.net continues to set the gold standard for efficiency and reliability, proving that performance is key to long-term success. 

It may seem like a lot to tackle, but you don’t have to do it alone. Contact us to learn more about setting up your first-party game launcher with Stash. We’ll work with you to create a top-tier launcher that incorporates all the key features mentioned above, helping you build a deeper, more meaningful connection with your players.