Hi Glenn,
We're moving more and more of the essential shared componentry around activation and named user deployment, as well as software and asset acquisition, into Creative Cloud Desktop app. Making Creative Cloud Desktop app mandatory allows us to streamline the user experience around login, activation, and service access, as we don't need to replicate this work everywhere. This will be critical, for example, for CC Libraries, CC Assets, AEM Assets, and other core CC capabilities and their integration with the desktop and mobile tools.
hence, creative cloud desktop app is mandate for Named license user.
Thanks,
Ashish