Does FM 2011 require Steam?

I have only intermittent access to the internet and therefore would like to buy this game ONLY if internet access is not an essential requirement. My internet access is good enough for authentication purposes but not if substantial internet activity is required for things such as game updates. Currently I download updates for FM 2010 during lunch time at work and apply them when I get home. Therefore, Can anyone please tell me whether the retail version of FM 2011 requires internet access and a Steam account before it will work. Also, will I be able to download game updates from work where the game is NOT installed?

[Gordon]

As far as I know FM 2010 can be installed and ran without using steam if the disk was left in the drive

I would have to assume that FM 2011 would be same but cannot be sure

and as for updates/patches , they should be available to download from various sources and be put on a USB stick or burned to a disk etc etc so no problem there

Originally Posted by Gordon

As far as I know FM 2010 can be installed and ran without using steam if the disk was left in the drive

I would have to assume that FM 2011 would be same but cannot be sure

and as for updates/patches , they should be available to download from various sources and be put on a USB stick or burned to a disk etc etc so no problem there

Many thanks for your response Gordon. I already have FM 2010 and have it set up without the use of Steam. I thought that Steam always worked that way so when Civilization V came out I bought it believing that I could operate without Steam. Unfortunately I could not, and so I returned the game and obtained a full refund. That is the reason I asked this question because I do not wish to encounter another problem. However, I have now been informed from another source that FM2011 can be installed in fully off-line mode and so my problem is resolved and I can safely purchase a game that I really enjoy.

if you buy off steam you need to run steam to play it, but you can run steam in offline mode so thats not a problem