What I don't understand is why the publisher would want to have all purchasers on a central server with the attendant management and cost implications. I have to assume that the publisher has a self-interest reason for taking on the additional load when it would be easier simply to distribute through downloads.
Advertising opportunities, Money, Product placement opportunities, Money, MMORPG cachet, Money, "New and Improved", Money, Ran out of new ideas, Money, Capitalize on player competitiveness (even my favorite solitaire app wants to submit my scores to their internet community), Money, Capitalize on virtual community, Money, it is "the thing to do", Money…
I could go on, but the bottom line for the changes will always be money and more money. In all likelihood you, and I, are not the primary target audience so whether people in our demographic like the change or not is of little or no consequence in the design and marketing decisions.
