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Quickstart

This guide walks you through the minimum workflow required to create a launcher, register a game, and publish your first release.

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Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:
  • A LauncherForge account.
  • Access to the LauncherForge dashboard.
  • A packaged build of your game.
  • The permission required to create launchers and games in your workspace.

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1. Open your workspace

Sign in to LauncherForge and open the workspace that will own the launcher and game. A workspace centralizes:
  • Launchers and games.
  • Team members and permissions.
  • Subscription and add-ons.
  • Storage and bandwidth usage.
  • API and integration settings.

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2. Create a launcher

From the dashboard, open Launchers and create a new launcher. Configure the initial information:
  • Launcher name.
  • Unique slug.
  • Visual template.
  • Logo, icon, and brand assets when supported by your plan.
  • Default language and launcher settings.
You can refine the visual configuration later. The initial goal is to create a valid launcher that can contain your game.

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3. Add your game

Open the launcher and select Add game. Provide the game information required by the dashboard, such as:
  • Game title.
  • Unique slug.
  • Description and genre.
  • Cover image and visual assets.
  • Executable or launch configuration.
After creating the game, copy its Game ID. You will use this value when deploying from the CLI.

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4. Install the LauncherForge CLI

Download or install the LauncherForge CLI using the method provided in Dashboard → CLI. Verify that the command is available:

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5. Authenticate the CLI

Run the login command:
Enter your LauncherForge credentials when prompted. The CLI stores the authenticated session required for deployment commands.
Do not share your CLI session, access token, or account credentials.

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6. Prepare the packaged build

Build or package your game into a dedicated folder. The folder should contain every file required to run the game on the target system. Example:
Before deploying, launch the packaged build locally and confirm that it starts correctly.

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7. Deploy the first release

Run the deploy command from your terminal:
Replace:
  • <GAME_ID> with the identifier copied from the dashboard.
  • stable with the target branch slug when using another branch.
  • 1.0.0 with your release version.
  • ./MyGameBuild with the path to the packaged game.
The CLI scans the build, calculates file hashes, uploads the required files, and creates the release for the selected branch.

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8. Verify the release

Return to the LauncherForge dashboard and open the game release page. Confirm that:
  • The version is listed in the correct branch.
  • The release type is correct.
  • The changelog is visible.
  • The build status indicates that processing completed successfully.

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9. Test through the launcher

Open the generated or configured launcher and test the complete player workflow:
  1. Sign in with a test player account.
  2. Locate the game in the library.
  3. Install or update the game.
  4. Launch the game.
  5. Confirm that the installed version matches the published release.
Your first LauncherForge release is now available through the configured launcher and branch.

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Next steps

Release types

Learn when to use stable releases, patches, and hotfixes.

Branches

Separate production, testing, beta, and private distribution channels.

Launcher customization

Configure templates, branding, navigation, news, and patch notes.

Game authentication

Validate players launched through LauncherForge in Unreal Engine or Unity.