Your bioshock example is valid. If you bought it and then they added a launcher. Sometimes that’s cool, like GTA 4 used this “games for windows” platform as it’s DRM through steam, or whatever it’s called. It straight up wouldn’t even launch on anything windows 8 or later, but I was reading that now it goes through the rockstar launcher. So that I’m cool with.

I wouldn’t say it’s not great for the consumer. Isn’t valve guilty of it too? I don’t see myself able to play Valve games like half-life on GoG or EA or anywhere else? Why does everyone else get shit for gatekeeping their own games but valve gets a pass?

Also I don’t think the fracturing of the market is stupid or a trend. I find it hilarious how Reddit, and especially this sub, is so anti-monopoly but they insist that all games should go through one platform. What happens if Gabe retires and the new person is an asshole and thinks you should pay $10 a month to use steam because of all the services they offer and you get locked out of your cloud saves and mods and everything as that’s now a “premium service”? Check the thing you signed, you don’t own your games but only the right to use them and that can be revoked for any reason. Having all your eggs in one basket, so to speak.

I wouldn’t be worried about them getting any valuable info on you. Unless their installer is scanning your computer for bank statements and logins or can turn on your webcam what worthless info they get about your game playing habits would just go into the overall stats.