And would all that have been worth the effort, or even the preferred solution, if there was a way to do it with a single click from Minecraft launcher or from Steam ? No matter how easy and user-friendly setting up a new random online server might be nowadays it will never be simpler that not having to do it or worry about it at all.

Sure, but the difference can be very small and the gain in autonomy significant.

I think you underestimate the number of gamers who would potentially be willing to navigate this tradeoff.

I'm sure some will chose convenience no matter what, but I think there has been a significant cultural shift in that direction nurtured by the gaming industry that artificially inflates the importance of the convenience factor above all else.

Also, I'd argue that in a mature decentralized system where paid third party plans appear and you can point towards the provider of your choice that you're already using and familiar with, the loss of convenience is practically insignificant.

Take your game purchasing experience for example. It would be simpler if you had a 'buy games' button on your desktop that took you to some default with no additional steps to find the store.

Instead, you have to find a store that you like and type the store name in your browser address bar or go to a bookmark.

Do people scream at how inconvenient that is? Do people suggest that if the store button on the desktop taking you to the one store to conquer them all wasn't there, people would have to implement their own store from scratch to buy games and it would be massively inconvenient?

No, because there is a mature decentralised ecosystem in place to buy games with pre-existing providers. Why does the multiplayer experience in games have to be different? Oh right, centralised integrators' greed...

I agree that the difference in convenience can be quite big.

With DRM-free multiplayer I only had to click on "Host game" or "Join game", depending on if I am the one going to host this gaming session or if I am joining a session hosted by a friend.

With centralized DRMed multiplayer I can’t even start or join a multiplayer game, because it requires the installation of some third-party malware. I am effectively barred from playing multiplayer sessions at all.

Lol, pretty much this. XD

So, how do I go about playing games on that video chat conference thingamajig? I don't see any game section there. False advertising! =P

It's just generic answer ZP owner gives people when he's not sure. Dose this when you ask about when a game will arrive on ZP. He will say soon, but it takes like 6 months. Not sure if it's better than saying idk.
The funny thing is ZP icon looks lot like ZOOM icon. You could easily mixed them up.

What specific games on Zoom-Platform require CD-key, client, or 3rd party email??

I am under the impression everything on Zoom-Platform is completely DRM-free, with multiplayer stripped out or at least without those type of baggages.

ZOOM plans on making a light launcher for there service. Are they turning into GOG? Haha jk
Right now that is true. MP has been stripped out of Postal rudux and FlatOut UC. Not their fault just what they had to do.

Thank you. I prefer the stripped out approach because it means the game (as released there) is completely DRM-free. I am NOT referring to OP, but it seems to me there is generally a lot of misinformation and unfounded criticism any time Zoom-Platform is discussed. Personally I think Z-P should be commended for their commitment to DRM-free and not buckling their standards.

I agree there is misinformation going around about ZP. If you follow ZP samething happening to GOG over their.

Little sad you see this between the two major DRM free stores.

This thread title is a great example of clickbait. There's really no evidence they're looking into it. "We hear you" is basically just an acknowledgement that you said something.

Yes, it is spam.

If you really want to discuss the Zoom Platform then they will have their own channels to do so. It is quite remarkable that I've read more about the Zoom Platform in this forum than for example about the Epic Games Store.

Advertising my friend

How so? You find it surprising that users in a still mostly drm-free store give more attention in their discussions to other drm-free alternatives than to stores riddled with drm?

I find it quite natural.

Personally, I'm very interested in drm-free alternatives (which are sorely lacking atm). Unless they want to actively promote drm-free games and cater to that audience, I couldn't be bothered caring about the Epic Game Store even if they give away games.

Gimping a game by removing its multiplayer, for the sake of then being able to call it 100% DRM-free, does not make the game better or worthwhile or worth buying.

On the contrary: a gimped 100% DRM-free game is not worth buying and is in fact far worse than a non-gimped fully-featured yet DRM-infested version of that same game would be (by the way, the GOG version of Warhammer: Space Marine is a great example of this...and so too will be Dawn of War as well if GOG follows through on their plans to gimp that game too).

That is to say, OP has presented zero evidence whatsoever that Zoom Platform has done, or will do, anything worthwhile in regards to point for which he is alleging - incorrectly - that Zoom Platform has done and/or will do something great.