Yes for PC I consider a require CD to launch as DRM. I generally will only purchase games that I can find a no-cd patch for and sometimes that can take months. (Probably not for this big of a game). So, does this make me a pirate?
Personally, I would rather have a require online internet access to play to be less of an issue. I know it could mean you couldn't play in the unlikely event the internet is down even if it's a single player game, but I put requiring a CD more of a hassle.