You appear to have an internet connection, since you're writing this. May I suggest leaving the "worrying about people with no internet connection who wish to play a game" to the people who actually have no internet connection and wish to play a game?
I don't see a problem with disclosure. It's stated clearly the activation requirements, as Zec has demonstrated, and it says Steam is required. If you're having problems staying connected for long enough to activate a game, perhaps it'd be wiser to spend your money on better internet instead of Steam games.
Cheerio,
Nicholas
My gaming rig is not internet connected. You see, not everybody runs a setup like you do. I get great performance from my machines because I don't have anti-virus running, a firewall, or the network connection yourself, or a ton of the other junk that typical users have installed. I don't need a $3,000 gaming rig to get tolerable framerates out of my games. I have a machine set aside for internet and email. Perhaps if you were more technically-inclined, you'd have know that those things all sap performance. Might I suggest doing some homework before giving an "expert" opinion?
The Steam warning wasn't present when I went there nor was the requirement of an internet connection, and the latter still isn't. Since that's REQUIRED (I don't see what's so difficult about that word, but evidently some people can't grasp it) then the game will work about as well as if I was trying to run it on an Android tablet. That's why manufacturers post minimum system requirements (again, it means what it says) in the first place and, often, recommended system requirements (yet again, means what it says). Of course, a lot of developers - perhaps a majority, especially those reselling Steam products - are less-than-upfront about this critical detail. Interestingly, an unofficial site dedicated to this game does mention that an internet connection is required for all versions.
Speaking of tablets, while I realize you think you know everything, would you believe that people sometimes post from machines that may not be capable of running a game like this? For instance, I occasionally post from my wife's 4G tablet, yet you assume that I "obviously" had an internet connection.
Lastly, had you paid any attention whatsoever lo these many years, you'd know one of the key arguments against product activation is that, at some point, support will end and the developer or publisher may no longer allow activations. It's actually pretty common. While you may not care about a game you paid for and thousands of hours of mods going into the bitbucket, some of us do.