It may skirt the rules by ultimately being a "passive" multiplayer experience, like Destiny 2 overworld stuff (versus deliberate matchmaking like for a strike or PVP). You don't really make the choice to play online or not in Journey, it just kinda happens.
That's awesome! I hope more people get exposed to their games. Journey is the single most important game I've ever played, so I want that game to reach as many people as possible.