The primary reason for Steam’s mandate is that Call of Juarez: Gunslinger was built using Steamworks, Valve’s free set of tools, APIs, and digital rights management (DRM) services for developers. When Techland integrated Steamworks into the game, they made Steam the master key for:
Because these features are not modular—they are deeply integrated into the game’s core executable—removing Steam’s requirement would require a substantial rewrite of the game’s code.
This is where confusion peaks. Ubisoft is the publisher, so you might assume buying from the Ubisoft Store would give you a Ubisoft Connect version. However, even on the Ubisoft Store, Call of Juarez: Gunslinger is sold as a Steam key. When you buy it from Ubisoft’s official storefront, they redirect you to activate it on Steam. Ubisoft’s own launcher (Uplay, now Ubisoft Connect) does not support a native version of this game. steam is required in order to play call of juarez gunslinger
Navigate to Steam installation folder, delete everything except steamapps folder and steam.exe. Then run steam.exe to repair the client.
By forcing players to use Steam, the publisher outsources much of the distribution, installation, and troubleshooting overhead to Valve. If a player has a corrupted installation, they simply verify the integrity of game files through Steam rather than contacting Ubisoft’s support team. The primary reason for Steam’s mandate is that
Many third-party stores sell a Steam key for this title. After purchase, you receive an alphanumeric code. You must redeem that code in the Steam client (under “Games” > “Activate a Product on Steam”). Once activated, the game is permanently added to your Steam library, and you must launch it through Steam.
Important Exception: GOG.com sells a DRM-free version of Call of Juarez: Gunslinger. If you bought the game on GOG, it does not require Steam. However, that version lacks Steam-specific features (achievements, cloud saves, etc.) and is totally independent. If you are getting the Steam error despite buying from GOG, you likely downloaded the wrong executable or installed a Steam backup by mistake. Because these features are not modular—they are deeply
From a business perspective, requiring Steam makes perfect sense for publishers like Ubisoft (which published the game in 2013). Here’s why: