Remember when telemetry/data collection across the internet was often optional and pretty minor?
The more shit we absentmindedly agree to because it's not really a big deal in the short term, the worse it gets in the long term.
If I play a game on Steam, then Playstation, EA, Ubisoft, etc should all fuck off. I already gave those companies my money, it's insulting that that isn't enough anymore.
Edit: great point I just saw someone else mention, the fact that Sony has allowed over 100 million users' data to be exposed due to various breaches by bad actors over the past 15 years. At least one of those times, the data was revealed to be nowhere near as secure as it should have been.
If all that is required is an email address and password I could live with giving Sony a special email address and unique password, I don't see where I have a privacy or security risk there. Annoying, but it's a lot better than another launcher or something. ETA: It asks for birthdate, definitely don't give them your real birthdate but give them something close. I have a standard fake that I use.
They might verify the email. But if you're that worried about Sony having your email you can just make a unique one for them. You don't have to give them your primary email.
People nowadays hate having more than one account. They can't even bare having more than one exe that launches other exes installed on the same computer anymore
If you do, I'm more talking about the cognitive dissonance of others that love steam just because it's the lesser evil of the launchers, but vehemently hate the idea of buying a game on another store front.
Sure, but I specifically ask other launcher. If we are talking no launcher at all then it is a different discussion entirely. If we are talking about not having a launcher, yeah, that is understandable too. But then again, many games have their own launcher and they do not add any value other than for the sake of having one/promoting the publisher
I would definitely be annoyed but have had to create an account for other games too. Give them an email that isn't your primary email and a unique password, I don't see where there is any risk after that.