You can publish on Steam without DRM. I don't really know what point you are trying to make.
Newsteinleo
I also feel a need to point out payment systems are not complicated. You can build your own payment and distribution for your game, or you could pay a 30% commission for someone to do it for you.
Steam is not the problem when it comes to DRM. Steam offers a service, it's the publishers who choose to use the always-on DRM.
Is it slop if you can't distinguish it from a real photo? At that point I think it's just AI.
Bog. Although mummies bursting out of a child's chest has been add to the list horrors to use on my players
You are not required by Steam to use their DRM, it's a service they offer. Publishers make the choice to use the DRM.
https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/The_big_list_of_DRM-free_games_on_Steam
Culprit in what way? It's the developers and publishers that put the DRM on the games, not Steam.
I don't think they, there is nothing stoping anyone from selling their game through another means. It's possible to build your own website, take credit card payment, and distribute a game that way. People don't do that because it whole lot of extra work and it's easier to pay some 30% commission to sell it for you.
This is not just a Steam issue, I have games I bought and will never be able to play because of DRM. Until laws change, this won't change.
That's not an issue with Steam that is an issue with consumer protection and copy right laws.
I now just throw random shit at my players and see what the engage with. Last week they decided the frog must be up to something so the frog lead them to a bog full of bog mummies. Anyways I almost TPKed the party and now they are hell bent on killing all the frogs in the swamp.
https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/The_big_list_of_DRM-free_games_on_Steam