Desktop Games & the Launcher

Some games are too big or too demanding for a browser and come as a download for Windows instead. They are started through a small program called the edu.games launcher, which connects to your account once and unlocks the game and records your play the same way browser games do.

Before you start

• A Windows computer. A Mac version of the launcher is not available yet — a game’s label shows which builds exist (for example HTML5 + Windows).
• Permission to create a folder and run a program on that computer. On school machines, ask your teacher or IT staff.
• Your teacher must have licensed the game with enough seats — desktop games are always seat-licensed.

Step 1 — Download and extract the game

1. On My Games, press ⬇ Download on the game. You get a ZIP file.
2. Extract the ZIP to a folder of your choice. Inside are a game folder, a config file and the launcher.

Step 2 — Run the launcher and connect it to your account

1. On Windows, run launcher-win.exe from that folder. On a Mac, double-click edu.games Launcher.
2. If Windows shows “Windows protected your PC”, click More info and then Run anyway. This appears because the launcher is a small program Windows has not seen many times yet. On school machines, ask your teacher or IT staff if the button is missing.
3. The first time, the launcher shows a short code like ABCD-2345 and opens your browser. Sign in if asked, type the code, and click Connect. The launcher then says “Connected. This launcher will stay signed in on this computer.” You only do this once per computer.
4. It prints “Checking out seat…”, then “Seat reserved. Decrypting game files…”, and starts the game.
5. Play. When you close the game the launcher prints “Game closed. Releasing seat…” and finishes with “Done.”

How seats work for desktop games

Each time you start the game, the launcher checks out one of your teacher’s seats for the session and checks it back in when you close the game. Your teacher can see the session while it is running. You can only have one active session per game at a time, so close the game on one computer before starting it on another. If the game crashes or the computer shuts down before check-in, the seat frees itself automatically within a few hours — or your teacher can release it straight away from their class page.

Managing connected launchers

The Connected launchers link under a game’s Download button lists every computer you have connected, with when each was last used. If a computer is lost or shared, press Revoke — that launcher stops working immediately and will ask for a new code next time. A connection only unlocks games you are licensed for; it is not your password and cannot sign in to your account. Connections expire after 12 months.

Common messages

• Nothing happens when I run the launcher — Windows SmartScreen or your antivirus has stopped it. Look for the “Windows protected your PC” window (More info → Run anyway) or check Windows Security → Protection history.
• “This launcher’s sign-in is no longer valid” — the connection was revoked or expired. The launcher shows a new code; connect it again.
• “This launcher is connected as …” — the launcher is signed in to a different account from the one that has the game (for example a family member’s, or a test account). Type S and press Enter, then connect it with the right account.
• “Still waiting…” — the launcher has not seen you connect yet. Finish entering the code in the browser; if no browser opened, visit the address it printed.
• “checkout failed” with no_seats — every seat is in use. Ask your teacher for more seats or wait for a session to end. With session_active, close the game on your other computer first.
• “A newer version of this game is available” — the developer updated the game. Download it again from My Games; the old copy stops working after the date shown.
• “Could not check the game back in” — your internet dropped at the end. Nothing is lost; the seat frees itself within a few hours.