There was also a time when you also didn't need Steam. You would buy a game, install it, and play it without having to connect to the internet at all. Growing up, a lot of friends had gaming PCs in their bedrooms with no internet connection at all.

And if you did do stuff online, it was secondary and the publisher didn't want a cut. StarCraft actually let you play online without owning the game - it specifically included an installer (The Spawn) that was for installing the multiplayer for free on friends' systems. You only needed the disc to play singleplayer.

That's why I buy from Gog. No need to deal with launchers, always online requirements or any other bs

I still don't understand the point of making every game have a shitty launcher. I mean, I can understand MMO's for updating the actual game and shit, but why the fuck do single player games have them?

It's amazing to hear what external launchers are able to do these days

Fully agree. I think that Steam should make it a platform requirement that external launchers cannot be used on the platform.

It makes zero sense for me to hit play just to have a third party launcher open, and I have to hit play in that third party launcher as well. and I have to hit play in that third party launcher as well. At that point, I'm better off just buying it through the third party launcher.

The whole third-party launcher update process is also obnoxious.. Every gatcha game does it. what's the point of using steam at that point

"Yo dawg..."