How do you know you’ve reached the target position without feedback?
Yes, you can count steps, but that’s like counting fingers in a leper colony.
I don’t think anyone suggested that steppers are difficult, just an option, and both are valid for different reasons.
Speed profiling/ramping is much easier with DC motors, and a lot more torque with well managed drivers and gearing.
Gearing down is critical to this application - steppers to hold position, and to reduce RPM with servomotors. Although steppers may become too slow.