There are DLC sold on GamersGate too, and they are drm free too. Multiplayer works fine.

But I recall there was a thing with Majesty 2, I believe In Majesty 2 multiplayer was playable only with steam version, I believe.

The main reason why Crusader Kings 2 on GamersGate failed is because it's GG only. Steam version can be bought everywhere, so it's easier to find a lower price, better deal (like on Amazon), etc.

Guess it's East vs West for me then.

That must have been what I was thinking of.

I think Steam is preferred because of the social crap it offers. Who cares that i've walked 1000 steps ingame?
But the most kiddies today can't even go to toilet without posting which pattern their toiletpaper has.

And yes, Steam is DRM. Yes you can play some games without starting the Client, but have you ever tried to backup and reinstall a game with Steams Backupsystem? Steam encrypts the gamefiles in form of container files, so that you need the Steam Client installed and logged in your account to decrypt and reinstall the game. No EXE-File anymore.

Sad news, but not really a surprise. I would say that's also another deep hit for gamersgate, because while it was the only place for folks like me to get the games drm-free it's for all others cheaper to get them on big sales from Steam directly or Amazon.

Steam version of Crusader Kings 2 doesn't have achievements and any other functionality than GG version.

As I've said, and I will say it again There are no differences between GG and Steam version. They even have the same checksum proving they use the exact same files.

You guys are exaggerating the anti-steam hatered. Most gamers don't care about steam, many like it, and they just want to buy a game cheap.

Classic example of complainers not putting their money where their mouth is.

I will wait till it appears on GG.

Why? Seems very likely. It'll simply be the Steam version then. They sell plenty of Steam games on GG now :)

It seems there is a deep dislike for anything Steam-related in the GOG community...
I really can't see why...

What I want to know is whether or not the retail version will be DRM free.

Paradox and retail? Didn't they stop bothering with that by this point? A few years back their sales were already 90+% Digital.

Releasing only on Gamersgate now a days seems like a death wish with how the store keeps screwing up and bleeding money from price mistakes.

I doubt there will be one. Paraox has gone pretty much entirewly digital, because they were losing money on the cost of producing/shipping retail copies.

As for this move, good. If very few people are buying your product elsewhere it makes no sense to make multiple version of patches and DLC packs for alternative stores that aren't bringing in revenue.

On top of that, Crusader Kings II doesn't even need Steam to run. You use it to download the game and patches and DLC, but you can close Steam down entirely and CK2 will still run.