Ultimately, it's a DRM scheme to protect their own interests. You can probably think of it as a caveat to developing a PC-exclusive game these days, although there are signs that consoles may soon head in a similar direction.
As a gamer, I haven't been affected by any of the drawbacks (of Steam integration, online activation, permanent connection requirement, etc.) yet. However, long-term archival becomes less viable as our games become increasingly dependent on a particular infrastructure.
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