HAWKEN's Transition to Steam
With the February patch, HAWKEN has transitioned to Steam as a platform for distribution and content sales. During the transition, we are offering a set of Early Access bundles for sale at a discount. The bundles contain mechs, skins, and exclusive emblems. When we began Early Access, a bundle purchase was required for new players to create a HAWKEN account, but this restriction has been lifted as of March 7th.
Integration with Steam includes distribution of content via Steam, automatic updates, item bundle sales on the Steam Store, and Meteor Credit purchases using Steam Wallet. Additional social and Steam integration features are in the works for deployment alongside a future patch. Our goal is to make booting up and playing the game as smooth an experience as possible for all users.
Removing Your Existing HAWKEN Install
Patches will no longer be distributed via the HAWKEN launcher, so unfortunately you will no longer be able to use your existing installation of HAWKEN to update and play the game following the February patch. We recommend uninstalling HAWKEN prior to downloading the game via Steam to free up space and clear any configurations from your system.
On Windows 7, press the Windows key to open the Start menu, type HAWKEN, then select Uninstall HAWKEN from the search results to launch the uninstaller. On other versions of windows, launch the Uninstall.exe file in the game’s installation directory, or use the Add or Remove Programs menu located in the Windows Control Panel. Complete the wizard to uninstall the game.
We also recommend removing the configuration directory located at C:\Users\[USERNAME]\Documents\My Games\Hawken\HawkenGame\Config
Creating a Steam Account
Following the patch, a Steam account will be required for all users to download and play HAWKEN. Registering for a Steam account is free and does not require a credit card. All you need is a valid email address that you can receive messages at.
To create an account, open a browser and navigate to http://store.steampowered.com/join/. Fill out the form and click Create My Account. You will receive an email with a link that allows you to verify your account and complete the sign-up process.
While you are on the Steam website, you should also download the Steam client by clicking Install Steam next to the login button. You will need it in the next step.
Downloading the Game
To download the HAWKEN game client, launch the Steam client or a web browser and navigate to HAWKEN's product page at store.steampowered.com. Scroll down to the section titled Play HAWKEN and click PLAY GAME to launch the installer. Select a drive to install to (you can use the Steam installation folder or select a different drive to create an alternate Steam Library directory) and complete the wizard to download and install the Game.
Creating a HAWKEN Account
To create a new HAWKEN account, open a browser and navigate to playhawken.com/enlist. Enter a unique Callsign (your in-game handle), email address, and password. Complete the rest of the form and click Create Account.
Purchasing Credits with Steam Wallet
Following the February patch, Meteor Credit purchases are only available using Steam Wallet. To purchase credits, launch the game using Steam, sign-in to your HAWKEN account and select Buy Meteor Credits from the main menu. This will invoke the playhawken.com website in the Steam overlay. Select the amount of currency and complete the purchase with a credit card or your Steam Wallet balance.
If you don't have a credit card, you can purchase Steam Wallet Codes from retailers including Game Stop, Target and 7-Eleven. These codes are redeemed within the Steam client by selecting Games > Redeem a Steam Wallet Code and following the instructions shown. For more information on purchases using Steam Wallet, read the Steam Wallet FAQ on support.steampowered.com.
Other Changes
The February patch includes several other changes to HAWKEN in addition to those related specifically to Steam. The Front Line map is now available for cooperative play, progression has been overhauled, and a new mech is going to be released.
See the Steam FAQ for more information. Full patch notes are available here.