diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index a3e36ae..0e4948f 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -14,6 +14,10 @@ set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
 # Get Build Revision
 ##############################
 
+set(LIBLOOT_PY_VERSION_MAJOR 4)
+set(LIBLOOT_PY_VERSION_MINOR 0)
+set(LIBLOOT_PY_VERSION_PATCH 2)
+
 find_package(Git)
 
 IF (GIT_FOUND)
@@ -25,10 +29,12 @@ ELSE()
     SET (GIT_COMMIT_STRING "unknown")
 ENDIF ()
 
+message(STATUS "LOOT API Python version: ${LIBLOOT_PY_VERSION_MAJOR}.${LIBLOOT_PY_VERSION_MINOR}.${LIBLOOT_PY_VERSION_PATCH}")
 message(STATUS "Git revision: ${GIT_COMMIT_STRING}")
 
 # Write to file.
 configure_file("${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/wrapper_version.cpp.in" "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/generated/wrapper_version.cpp" @ONLY)
+configure_file("${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/python/setup.py" "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/generated/setup.py" @ONLY)
 
 #######################################
 # pybind11
@@ -117,17 +123,23 @@ add_test(NAME python
 ########################################
 
 install(TARGETS loot_api
-        DESTINATION "."
+        DESTINATION "loot_api"
         CONFIGURATIONS Release RelWithDebInfo)
 
 install(FILES "${LIBLOOT_EXTRACTED_PATH}/${LIBLOOT_SHARED_LIBRARY}"
-        "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/docs/README.md"
+        "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/python/loot_api/__init__.py"
+        DESTINATION "loot_api"
+        CONFIGURATIONS Release RelWithDebInfo)
+
+install(FILES "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/docs/README.md"
+        "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/generated/setup.py"
+        "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/LICENSE"
         DESTINATION "."
         CONFIGURATIONS Release RelWithDebInfo)
 
 IF (MSVC)
     install(FILES $<TARGET_PDB_FILE:loot_api>
-            DESTINATION .
+            DESTINATION "loot_api"
             OPTIONAL
             CONFIGURATIONS RelWithDebInfo
             RENAME loot_api_python.pdb)
@@ -155,12 +167,7 @@ ELSE()
     SET (GIT_DESCRIBE_STRING "unknown-version")
 ENDIF ()
 
-if (CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME MATCHES "Windows")
-    set(CPACK_GENERATOR "7Z")
-else()
-    set(CPACK_GENERATOR "TXZ")
-endif()
-
+set(CPACK_GENERATOR "ZIP")
 set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION "${GIT_DESCRIBE_STRING}-python$ENV{PYTHON_VERSION}")
 set(CPACK_PACKAGE_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/package")
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3891b8e..c8352dc 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -11,10 +11,10 @@ A Python module that wraps libloot, generated by [pybind11](https://github.com/p
 Snapshot builds are available on [Bintray](https://bintray.com/loot/snapshots/loot-api-python). The snapshot build archives are named like so:
 
 ```
-loot_api_python-<short revision ID>-python<python version>-win<architecture>.7z
+loot_api_python-<short revision ID>-python<python version>-win<architecture>.zip
 ```
 
-For example `loot_api_python-94de368-python2.7-win32.7z` was built using the revision with shortened commit ID `94de368`.
+For example `loot_api_python-94de368-python2.7-win32.zip` was built using the revision with shortened commit ID `94de368`.
 
 ## Documentation
 
diff --git a/appveyor.yml b/appveyor.yml
index 845a4fd..7866cee 100644
--- a/appveyor.yml
+++ b/appveyor.yml
@@ -44,12 +44,10 @@ test_script:
 after_test:
   - cd %APPVEYOR_BUILD_FOLDER%\build
   - cpack -C %CONFIGURATION%
-  # AppVeyor checks out a specific commit, but that means the archive script
-  # can't tell which branch it's on, so rename the 7z archives.
   - ps: $env:GIT_DESCRIBE = ((git describe --tags --long --always) | Out-String) -replace "`n|`r", ""
 
 artifacts:
-  - path: build\package\loot_api_python-$(GIT_DESCRIBE)_$(APPVEYOR_REPO_BRANCH)-python$(PYTHON_VERSION)-win$(ARCHITECTURE).7z
+  - path: build\package\loot_api_python-$(GIT_DESCRIBE)_$(APPVEYOR_REPO_BRANCH)-python$(PYTHON_VERSION)-win$(ARCHITECTURE).zip
     name: loot_api_python
 
 deploy:
diff --git a/python/loot_api/__init__.py b/python/loot_api/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..59c3088
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/loot_api/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+from .loot_api import *
diff --git a/python/setup.py b/python/setup.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5da6d20
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/setup.py
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+import itertools
+import os
+import platform
+import subprocess
+import sys
+import tempfile
+import threading
+import time
+from contextlib import contextmanager
+
+from setuptools import Distribution, find_packages, setup
+
+try:  # python 3
+    import winreg
+    from urllib.request import urlretrieve
+except ImportError:  # python 2
+    import _winreg as winreg
+    from urllib import urlretrieve
+
+
+MSVC_MIN_VERSION = (14, 0, 24215)
+
+
+class BinaryDistribution(Distribution):
+    def has_ext_modules(foo):
+        return True
+
+
+def is_msvc_redist_installed(major, minor, build):
+    if platform.machine().endswith("64"):  # check if os is 64bit
+        sub_key = "SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\VisualStudio\\14.0\\VC\\Runtimes\\x64"
+    else:
+        sub_key = "SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\VisualStudio\\14.0\\VC\\Runtimes\\x86"
+    try:
+        key_handle = winreg.OpenKey(winreg.HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, sub_key)
+        runtime_installed = winreg.QueryValueEx(key_handle, "Installed")[0]
+        installed_major = winreg.QueryValueEx(key_handle, "Major")[0]
+        installed_minor = winreg.QueryValueEx(key_handle, "Minor")[0]
+        installed_build = winreg.QueryValueEx(key_handle, "Bld")[0]
+        return (
+            runtime_installed != 0
+            and installed_major >= major
+            and installed_minor >= minor
+            and installed_build >= build
+        )
+    except WindowsError as exc:
+        return False
+
+with open("README.md", "r") as fh:
+    long_description = fh.read()
+
+def install_msvc_redist():
+    url = (
+        "https://download.microsoft.com/download/6/A/A/"
+        "6AA4EDFF-645B-48C5-81CC-ED5963AEAD48/vc_redist.x86.exe"
+    )
+    dl_dir = tempfile.mkdtemp()
+    dl_file = os.path.join(dl_dir, "vc_redist.exe")
+    urlretrieve(url, dl_file)
+    subprocess.call([dl_file, "/quiet"])
+    # trying to remove the temp folder triggers
+    # an error during py2 pip install
+
+
+if not is_msvc_redist_installed(*MSVC_MIN_VERSION):
+    install_msvc_redist()
+
+# The version string is substituted in by CMake.
+setup(
+    name="loot-api",
+    version="@LIBLOOT_PY_VERSION_MAJOR@.@LIBLOOT_PY_VERSION_MINOR@.@LIBLOOT_PY_VERSION_PATCH@",
+    description="A Python module that wraps the LOOT API.",
+    long_description=long_description,
+    long_description_content_type="text/markdown",
+    url="https://github.com/loot/loot-api-python",
+    packages=find_packages(),
+    include_package_data=True,
+    package_data={"loot_api": ["loot_api*.pyd", "loot.dll"]},
+    distclass=BinaryDistribution,
+    classifiers=[
+        'License :: OSI Approved :: GNU General Public License v3 (GPLv3)',
+        'Programming Language :: Python :: 2.7',
+        'Programming Language :: Python :: 3',
+        'Programming Language :: C++'
+        'Operating System :: Microsoft :: Windows',
+        'Intended Audience :: Developers',
+    ],
+    python_requires='>=2.7',
+)
diff --git a/src/wrapper_version.cpp.in b/src/wrapper_version.cpp.in
index 0250ad9..7220147 100644
--- a/src/wrapper_version.cpp.in
+++ b/src/wrapper_version.cpp.in
@@ -25,9 +25,9 @@
 #include "wrapper_version.h"
 
 namespace loot {
-const unsigned int WrapperVersion::major = 4;
-const unsigned int WrapperVersion::minor = 0;
-const unsigned int WrapperVersion::patch = 2;
+const unsigned int WrapperVersion::major = @LIBLOOT_PY_VERSION_MAJOR@;
+const unsigned int WrapperVersion::minor = @LIBLOOT_PY_VERSION_MINOR@;
+const unsigned int WrapperVersion::patch = @LIBLOOT_PY_VERSION_PATCH@;
 const std::string WrapperVersion::revision = "@GIT_COMMIT_STRING@";
 
 std::string WrapperVersion::string() {