When games were $29.99, they also cost a lot less to make because they were a lot less graphically intense, I'd assume. No doubt there's been price inflation on some level though. Also, when games were $29.99, not as many people had the internet, nor did they have access to unlimited bandwidth, high density storage, nor the growing technological knowledge available today. Offline authentication made a lot more sense then.

I don't buy the argument that people pirate games because they're too expensive (see above about people even pirating a $1 game that has no DRM). People do it because it's convenient, and because they have no qualms about taking something for nothing if it's readily available and (relatively) socially acceptable.

I mean, sure, I feel sorry for the rare person who owns a computer good enough to play modern games but doesn't have any access to an internet connection. But I can't get too worked up about it. It's not really a "ridiculous restriction" ...