Will ETW retail be a standalone version (no Steam install)?

[Sir Beane]

Can the game still be played if I un-install Steam after the first activation? Or is it required to be on the computer in offline mode? That might be a deal-breaker for some of us. [/QUOTE]

Steam is required to be on the PC after the first activation. To play the game you boot up Steam in offline mode, and then run the game through it.

Of course the industry expects it, and it's not just for the DRM. It means they can hand off the bulk of "tech support" to user forums. They no longer have to wait until games are actually finished before release ("we'll fix it in a patch!"), and they no longer have to ship the game with a complete, in-depth manual.

Releasing games unfinished and in some clases near unplayable has sadly been the way of PC gaming for a very long time now, depressing as that is. I think the industry expects most users to have an internet connection mostly because most users do have an internet connection. It's similar to all modern games requiring a user to have a decent graphics card or the correct amount of RAM.

It's successful because millions of users have accepted that particular deal with the Devil, in order to play certain games. Not all of us will do that. Invasive DRM places an extra barrier to purchase in front of the customer. It's no longer -- "Is this game good, and will I enjoy it?". Now it's -- "Is the game good enough to accept invasive DRM along with it? What am I willing to put up with?" If game developers think they're not losing at least some potential sales from that, they're crazy.

It isn't just succesful because it has been forced on people. Like I said earlier Steam offers very stable and versatile mulitplayer capabilities. There are many people who would use it regardless of whether they had to or not.

And I agree with you about DRM. I hate it and I don't belive that it has any affect on piracy at all, whilst still inconveniencing users.

Sega however probably require that CA have some form of DRM on their games, so CA chose to use Steam. Steam is probably the least invasive form of DRM around at the moment (other than plain old CD keys) and it comes with strong multiplayer support to boot.

CA went with the lesser of many evils, which is more than many developers are choosing to do.

But in the end it is your choice. It would be a shame if you let Steam stop you from enjoying Empire, but no one can force you to purchase something you are apposed to.

And I'm going to say this again, an in depth discussion on DRM does not belong in this thread. I'm sure if we keep going off topic like this that the thread will eventually be locked or moved. Let's stick to direct questions about Steam, and leave the discussion of in-depth stuff for somewhere else.