And I'm surprised that no one has considered making a legal case out of this for false advertizing as well. Stated clearly that internet was only needed for activation and not for playing. And gamesas states Here in the pinned thread for Skyrim and Steam FAQ:
"Do I need to be connected to the internet to play Skyrim?
No. Steam is able to run in offline mode, meaning that you need to get online only once to activate Skyrim and install any required updates/patches, and don't need to be connected to the internet to play it. See here for the official guide, and the last entry in this FAQ for more detailed instructions on how to set the Steam client to offline mode so that it can stay offline for a long time. The Steam client is often updated, and the offline mode is known to be still a little buggy nowadays, hence it is advisable follow the latter instructions to set the client in permanent offline mode once you have activated Skyrim if you need extended offline time, and regardless of any further Steam client updates."
"Do I need to be connected to the internet to play Skyrim?
No. Steam is able to run in offline mode, meaning that you need to get online only once to activate Skyrim and install any required updates/patches, and don't need to be connected to the internet to play it. See here for the official guide, and the last entry in this FAQ for more detailed instructions on how to set the Steam client to offline mode so that it can stay offline for a long time. The Steam client is often updated, and the offline mode is known to be still a little buggy nowadays, hence it is advisable follow the latter instructions to set the client in permanent offline mode once you have activated Skyrim if you need extended offline time, and regardless of any further Steam client updates."
I doubt a legal case would stick as it is due to a bug. Steam does not work as intended right now which is causing some people headaches (not just Skyrim players). I first noticed the issue months ago so I am not sure why a bugfix has not been released.
That is my only bugbear with Steam/Valve, why is this taking so long to fix......