Open any gaming PC, and chances are the blue icon of Steam is sitting right there on the desktop. Not hidden, not optional, but almost expected. Over time, Steam has gone from being just another launcher to becoming the default storefront for PC gaming, almost like a built-in part of the experience. The Monopoly Nobody […]
Indeed, Steam is just one culprit - yet culprit nonetheless.
Culprit in what way? It’s the developers and publishers that put the DRM on the games, not Steam.
Steam features its own DRM, ensuring games cannot be launched without it.
Steam has enormous leverage in the gaming market and could at least influence the devs to make DRM transferable between the publishing spaces (but that might hurt Steam’s bottom line).
Plenty of games release both on Steam and, say, GOG. GOG versions don’t feature DRM, Steam versions do. Why?
You are not required by Steam to use their DRM, it’s a service they offer. Publishers make the choice to use the DRM.
https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/The_big_list_of_DRM-free_games_on_Steam