Release 2.99.0.0 removes Minecraft downloads
PCL's 2.99.0.0 release notice says it no longer provides Minecraft downloads. The notice, dated October 20, 2026 in the supplied release metadata, gives compliance with laws and regulations as the reason. It does not describe a replacement acquisition workflow. If downloading Minecraft through the launcher is your main requirement, this release does not meet it.
Plain Craft Launcher is the Minecraft launcher in Meloong-Git/PCL. Its Chinese README links a free-to-use official distribution and a separate help repository, but no English setup guide. Existing users who read Chinese have a clearer starting point than English-only newcomers. This review assesses the supplied documents and measurements, rather than the launcher's runtime behavior.
Why we could not run it
We did not run PCL commit 6b9a50d. The October 22, 2026 harness record reports an unsupported ecosystem, Visual Basic .NET, and no Dockerfile. There are no installation, build or test results. This is a harness limitation, not evidence that PCL fails in a suitable desktop environment.
The recorded sandbox configuration was 3 CPUs and 8g RAM, with image n/a. Those settings do not establish a working operating system or desktop toolchain. Java selection, account sign-in and game launch remain unverified, so setup ease and operational reliability are unassessed.
Source snapshots and derivative conditions
The README says the public source synchronizes with PCL releases rather than updating in real time. It describes most of the source as available, including interface, animation, download and Minecraft-launching modules. Developers should not assume this establishes a complete, independently reproducible build. Existing users investigating behavior should record their application version before comparing it with the published source.
The LICENCE file links an external limited distribution license and contains a reasonable-use guide. The guide explicitly describes itself as explanatory, not a legal document or agreement. The external license text is not included in the supplied evidence, so the guide cannot establish the complete scope of redistribution rights.
For heavier reuse, including modifications, the guide describes naming, attribution, source-disclosure and purchase-prompt conditions. It calls for a name beginning with Plain Craft Launcher (PCL) and a suffix that distinguishes the third-party modification. It also calls for prominent attribution and a sponsorship link, publication of source, and continued use of the guide. Software that launches Minecraft should implement purchase and sponsorship prompts consistent with, or stronger than, those described for McLaunchPrecheck. These are documented conditions, not verified implementation behavior.
For software running on Windows, the guide also says it should not have functionality or presentation similar to PCL's sponsorship-unlocked features. Its example says the interface's main hue must remain blue, even when changing the hue would not require a separate modification feature. Developers planning a branded derivative should examine these constraints before choosing this codebase.
Documentation for an English-speaking newcomer
Documentation receives 2/5 for the English newcomer entry path. The rubric is limited to that task: 1 means no usable starting point; 2 means resource links without an English setup path; 3 means English prerequisites and basic operating instructions; 4 adds verification steps; 5 also adds troubleshooting. The supplied Chinese README identifies the source modules and links distribution and help resources, which supports 2 on this rubric. The complete Chinese help library was not assessed.
Community support and operational maturity remain unassessed. Repository activity does not establish support responsiveness or successful game launches, and no supplied support exchanges or runtime results resolve those questions.
Alternatives with English entry material
Prism Launcher describes managing multiple Minecraft installations in its English README. That README links download instructions and build documentation. Compare it first if you need an English entry point for keeping installations separate. This is a recommendation based on its documented purpose, not a measured setup result.
Hello Minecraft! Launcher, or HMCL, lists mod management, mod-loader installation and modpack creation in its English README. Compare it when those workflows are your main requirement. The supplied evidence does not establish migration compatibility from PCL for either alternative.
Existing PCL users who read Chinese can evaluate the official distribution with their current workflow in mind. Before adopting release 2.99.0.0 or switching launchers, establish how you will obtain Minecraft and verify that your intended configuration launches successfully.