What Is Denuvo and Why Do Gamers Have Mixed Feelings About It?

Patrick_Yu

What is Denuvo?

Denuvo is a Digital Rights Management (DRM) software designed to prevent the unauthorized copying and distribution of video games aka pirating. It was first implemented in 2014 and was developed by Denuvo Software Solutions, an Austrian company that later became part of Irdeto, a cybersecurity firm. Denuvo was created to combat the growing issue of video game piracy, aiming to protect the financial interests of game developers and publishers by making it more difficult for hackers to crack and distribute games illegally.  

Why do gamers dislike it?

Gamers' mixed feelings for Denuvo stems from its reputation for negatively impacting the gaming experience, despite being marketed as a tool to protect developers from piracy. While Denuvo is intended to safeguard game sales, its implementation often introduces performance issues that frustrate legitimate consumers. This disconnect between its intended purpose and its real-world effects has led to widespread criticism from the gaming community.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y_bab5wtHY

• Performance Degradation: Denuvo is frequently linked to longer loading times, frame time spikes, and general performance issues in games. For example, the removal of Denuvo from Hogwarts Legacy and Resident Evil Village led to noticeable performance improvements, confirming that the DRM was a contributing factor to earlier problems. Even developers and technical analysts have raised concerns about Denuvo. The director of Tekken 7 admitted that Denuvo caused performance issues, and outlets like Digital Foundry have repeatedly shown that games run better without the DRM.
• Always-Online Requirement: Denuvo often requires an internet connection, even for single-player games. This mandatory online check can be inconvenient and limits the ability to play games offline, which is especially frustrating for gamers who prefer or need to play without a stable internet connection. 
• Punishing Legitimate Consumers: Ironically, while Denuvo aims to prevent piracy, it often punishes those who purchase games legally. Pirates typically bypass Denuvo within weeks, leaving paying customers to deal with the performance drawbacks, which many see as unfair. 
• Philosophical Opposition: Beyond technical issues, many gamers oppose DRM on principle. They believe it infringes on their rights as consumers and diminishes their ownership of the games they purchase, leading to broader resentment against Denuvo. 

Does Denuvo work as an anti-piracy software? 

Denuvo is designed to act as a though anti-piracy measure, particularly during a game’s critical launch period when sales are at their peak. Its main goal is to delay the release of cracked versions, thereby encouraging more players to purchase the game rather than download it illegally. This approach has proven effective in the first few days or weeks after a game’s release. For example, games like Resident Evil Village and Assassin’s Creed Origins used Denuvo to protect their early sales, delaying piracy long enough to secure a significant portion of their total revenue.

However, despite its initial effectiveness, Denuvo is not impervious to hackers. Most games that implement Denuvo are eventually cracked, with the time frame varying widely—some within days, others taking months. Once a game is cracked, it becomes available on piracy sites, diminishing Denuvo’s long-term effectiveness. For instance, Middle-earth: Shadow of War was cracked within a day of its release, despite using Denuvo. This highlights that while Denuvo can delay piracy, it does not prevent it altogether, making it more of a temporary barrier than a permanent solution. 

Denuvo's impact on game performance has led to widespread criticism, with many arguing that it punishes legitimate consumers more than it deters pirates. Despite these concerns, many publishers continue to use Denuvo, prioritizing the potential sales boost during the launch window. Some developers later remove Denuvo, acknowledging that its primary purpose—to protect early sales—has been fulfilled. 

How do I know if my game has Denuvo DRM?

For those who are curious to know if their game has Denuvo, or for those who want to avoid Denuvo-protected games due to performance concerns, there's a curated list on Steam that highlights which games include Denuvo. You can check it out here: Denuvo Games on Steam.

I buy my games legally, can I remove Denuvo? 

Removing Denuvo from a game you legally purchased is not something you can typically do on your own, as Denuvo is integrated into the game by the developers and cannot be removed by end-users. However, here are a few things you can consider: 

1. Wait for an official patch: Sometimes, developers choose to remove Denuvo from their games after a certain period, usually after the initial sales surge. This often happens when the game is no longer at high risk of piracy, or if the community's feedback about performance issues becomes too strong to ignore. Keep an eye on official patch notes or announcements from the developer. The Steam list mentioned earlier also alerts users when Denuvo is removed from a game.  
2. Consider DRM-free platforms: Some games are available on DRM-free platforms like GOG (Good Old Games), which do not use Denuvo or any other DRM. If you want to avoid Denuvo, purchasing the game from such platforms might be an option, though it would involve buying the game again. 
3. Request a refund (if eligible): If you purchased a game and are unhappy with the performance due to Denuvo, you might be able to request a refund. Platforms like Steam offer refunds under certain conditions, such as if you've played the game for less than two hours and purchased it within the last 14 days. 
4. Buy the game, then use a cracked version (not recommended): Some players choose to purchase a game legally and then download a cracked version that doesn’t include Denuvo. While this approach allows them to support the developers financially, it still involves downloading illegal software, which can expose your system to risks like malware and may violate terms of service. Additionally, the queen of cracking, Empress, has been on break, so good cracks for future games may be released much slower than usual. 
5. Provide feedback to developers: Expressing your concerns to the developers can sometimes influence them to remove Denuvo in future updates. Strong community feedback has been known to lead to changes in how DRM is handled in games. 

Conclusion

Denuvo DRM remains a highly contentious topic within the gaming community. While it serves as a protective measure for developers, particularly during a game's initial release window, its impact on performance and the overall gaming experience has drawn significant criticism. Gamers often find themselves at odds with the implementation of Denuvo, as it can lead to longer loading times, frame rate drops, and always-online requirements, which many see as unfairly penalizing legitimate customers rather than deterring piracy effectively. 

Despite these concerns, Denuvo continues to be a tool of choice for many publishers seeking to safeguard their financial interests, though its effectiveness is often short-lived due to eventual cracking. For those who prefer to avoid Denuvo, options such as DRM-free platforms, refund requests, and providing feedback to developers offer some recourse. However, the broader debate over Denuvo's place in the gaming industry underscores the ongoing tension between protecting intellectual property and preserving the quality of the gaming experience.

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