This is completely false. Most of the Paradox games that I own on Steam definitely have the Steam DRM and cannot be run without it. Namely Crusader Kings 2 and Europa Universalis 4. They have deep Steamworks integration.

It won't run without Steam. I've renamed the Steamworks file, copied the folder to somewhere else and everything and it won't do anything unless it can find Steam. I won't know why the hell they would do that if they released it DRM free on here. I actually like Steam, but I hate DRM so I'm really disappointed that I purchased through Steam this time. I should have been patient and saved up money to buy on here instead of blowing all that money, which is what I consider buying games with DRM. If Steam decides to be a pain in the ass like it has been before then I won't have access to the game anymore.

Also, the game runs horribly so far and the patch has made it worse. If I'm in the Inn in Gilded Vale I only get nine FPS. Nine. That's lower FPS than I've gotten in any game I have ever booted up on my computer and it's for an isometric game. After the latest patch I barely ever get above 25 FPS and when there's any combat it drops to around fifteen. Before the patch I was getting around 40 all the time. Since I can't start it without Steam I can't even troubleshoot it.

Or bought as gift and trade it for a GOG key.
I've a GOG key but because of Steam Cloud and achievements I'd rather have a Steam key.
But it's hard to find someone since there seems to be no place to find ppl who are looking for or interested in such trades :/

I got this game on steam because my brother gift it to me... for Mac version I can say that this game is 100% DRM-free.

You can run it without Steam on Mac?

yes.
I downloaded the .app with steam, I deleted steam, I can still lanch and play.

I think that maybe also linux version it's drm-free (since linux and mac are unix-like system), but I'm not 100% sure (since linux version is steam os based).

I guess that's a good thing. I wish they'd do an update and make it DRM free for Windows.