Denuvo Anti-Tamper: Difference between revisions

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===High resource usage===

Despite Denuvo's denials,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lemon |first=Marshall |date=4 Sep 2018 |title=Two Point Hospital no longer uses Denuvo DRM |url=https://www.vg247.com/two-point-hospital-no-longer-uses-denuvo-drm |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=VG247}}</ref> its software has been documented to consume a lot of computer resources,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Machkovech |first=Sam |date=26 Dec 2018 |title=Evidence continues to mount about how bad Denuvo is for PC gaming performance |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/12/evidence-continues-to-mount-about-how-bad-denuvo-is-for-pc-gaming-performance/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=ArsTechnica}}</ref> notably documented for ''Tekken 7''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vazquez |first=Suriel |date=14 Apr 2018 |title=DRM Software Causing Performance Issues In PC Version Of Tekken 7, Says Producer |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2018/04/14/drm-software-causing-performance-issues-in-pc-version-of-tekken-7-says-producer.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180521071901/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2018/04/14/drm-software-causing-performance-issues-in-pc-version-of-tekken-7-says-producer.aspx |archive-date=21 May 2018 |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Game Informer}}</ref> and ''Sonic Mania Plus,''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leri |first=Michael |date=20 Jul 2018 |title=Sonic Mania Plus DRM Protection Slowing Down Legitimate Copies |url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/news/409231-sonic-mania-plus-drm-protection-slowing-down-legitimate-copies |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Game Revolution}}</ref> both games where slowdown is extremely detrimental to players, especially in competitive settings.<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 Nov 2017 |title=Does modern DRM really hurt gaming performance? |url=https://megagames.com/editorials/does-modern-drm-really-hurt-gaming-performance |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Mega Games}}</ref> This slowdown often encourages users to prefer a crack of the game as soon as a crack releases, as seen by early cracks significantly harming sales.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tyson |first=Mark |date=13 Oct 2024 |title=Publishers face 20% game revenue reduction if Denuvo DRM is cracked quickly, according to new study |url=https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/publishers-face-20-percent-game-revenue-reduction-if-denuvo-drm-is-cracked-quickly-according-to-new-study |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Tom's Hardware}}</ref>Consumers who run lower-end hardware are often unable to even launch these games without running cracked versions, especially when the game's publisher has under-optimized it.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bayley |first=Dominic |date=24 Sep 2024 |title=Are modern PC games badly optimized or is it just time to upgrade? |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/2455340/are-modern-pc-games-badly-optimized-or-is-it-just-time-to-upgrade.html |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=PCWorld}}</ref>

=== Machine Activation Limits ===

Many games that implement Denuvo's protections also come with machine activation limits, usually 5 activations per 24-hour period.[https://en.gamegpu.com/game/assassin-s-creed-shadows-drm-protection-day-and-limitation-to-5-activations-per-day] This stops consumers that have legally acquired their game software from being able to use it on all their devices by imposing arbitrary limits on activations.

There are also accounts of being locked out of access to your game software by simply changing the Proton version you use multiple times to get the game working/running correctly.[https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2025/05/denuvo-will-lock-you-out-of-games-on-linux-steamos-steam-deck-if-you-keep-changing-proton-versions/]

==Notable anti-consumer events==

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The following games during were unavailable due to Denuvo's authentication servers going offline for a couple days causing games to display an error on start up: Batman Arkham Knight, Mad Max and Shadow of War.[https://www.dsogaming.com/news/denuvo-server-problems-prevented-players-from-playing-batman-arkham-knight-mad-max/]

=== November 7th 2021: ===

===November 7th 2021:===

Guardians of the Galaxy, Football Manager 2022, Planet Zoo, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Tomb Raider trilogy, Wolfenstein Youngblood, Mortal Kombat 11, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2, Persona 4 Golden, Demon Slayer, among others became completely unplayable due to the Domain Codefusion expiring and not being renewed.[https://www.pcgamer.com/a-great-day-for-drm-as-denuvo-lapse-renders-tons-of-games-temporarily-unplayable/]

=== '''May 2nd 2024:''' ===

==='''May 2nd 2024:'''===

Persona 5 Royal was affected after Denuvo's authentication servers became unavailable. [https://thegeek.games/2024/05/06/when-drm-is-harmful-a-popular-game-became-unplayable-for-hours-on-pc/]

@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 ===High resource usage<!--Potential sources https://www.thefastcode.com/en-idr/article/what-is-denuvo-and-why-do-gamers-hate-it  https://whyisdenuvobad.github.io/-->===
 Despite Denuvo's denials,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lemon |first=Marshall |date=4 Sep 2018 |title=Two Point Hospital no longer uses Denuvo DRM |url=https://www.vg247.com/two-point-hospital-no-longer-uses-denuvo-drm |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=VG247}}</ref> its software has been documented to consume a lot of computer resources,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Machkovech |first=Sam |date=26 Dec 2018 |title=Evidence continues to mount about how bad Denuvo is for PC gaming performance |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/12/evidence-continues-to-mount-about-how-bad-denuvo-is-for-pc-gaming-performance/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=ArsTechnica}}</ref> notably documented for ''Tekken 7''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vazquez |first=Suriel |date=14 Apr 2018 |title=DRM Software Causing Performance Issues In PC Version Of Tekken 7, Says Producer |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2018/04/14/drm-software-causing-performance-issues-in-pc-version-of-tekken-7-says-producer.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180521071901/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2018/04/14/drm-software-causing-performance-issues-in-pc-version-of-tekken-7-says-producer.aspx |archive-date=21 May 2018 |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Game Informer}}</ref> and ''Sonic Mania Plus,''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leri |first=Michael |date=20 Jul 2018 |title=Sonic Mania Plus DRM Protection Slowing Down Legitimate Copies |url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/news/409231-sonic-mania-plus-drm-protection-slowing-down-legitimate-copies |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Game Revolution}}</ref> both games where slowdown is extremely detrimental to players, especially in competitive settings.<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 Nov 2017 |title=Does modern DRM really hurt gaming performance? |url=https://megagames.com/editorials/does-modern-drm-really-hurt-gaming-performance |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Mega Games}}</ref> This slowdown often encourages users to prefer a crack of the game as soon as a crack releases, as seen by early cracks significantly harming sales.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tyson |first=Mark |date=13 Oct 2024 |title=Publishers face 20% game revenue reduction if Denuvo DRM is cracked quickly, according to new study |url=https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/publishers-face-20-percent-game-revenue-reduction-if-denuvo-drm-is-cracked-quickly-according-to-new-study |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Tom's Hardware}}</ref><!--I believe that DRM contributes to sales loss when a crack releases, moreso because the crack is the better version of the product on the market, plus also licensing fees for early/day 1 cracks are harmful for developers.-->Consumers who run lower-end hardware are often unable to even launch these games without running cracked versions, especially when the game's publisher has under-optimized it.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bayley |first=Dominic |date=24 Sep 2024 |title=Are modern PC games badly optimized or is it just time to upgrade? |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/2455340/are-modern-pc-games-badly-optimized-or-is-it-just-time-to-upgrade.html |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=PCWorld}}</ref>
+=== Machine Activation Limits<!-- Can steamcommunity be used as source? have to find out:  https://steamcommunity.com/app/2050650/discussions/0/4130430927307702044/  --> ===
+Many games that implement Denuvo's protections also come with machine activation limits, usually 5 activations per 24-hour period.[https://en.gamegpu.com/game/assassin-s-creed-shadows-drm-protection-day-and-limitation-to-5-activations-per-day] This stops consumers that have legally acquired their game software from being able to use it on all their devices by imposing arbitrary limits on activations.
+There are also accounts of being locked out of access to your game software by simply changing the Proton version you use multiple times to get the game working/running correctly.[https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2025/05/denuvo-will-lock-you-out-of-games-on-linux-steamos-steam-deck-if-you-keep-changing-proton-versions/]
 ==Notable anti-consumer events==
@@ Line 15: / Line 20: @@
 The following games during were unavailable due to Denuvo's authentication servers going offline for a couple days causing games to display an error on start up: Batman Arkham Knight, Mad Max and Shadow of War.[https://www.dsogaming.com/news/denuvo-server-problems-prevented-players-from-playing-batman-arkham-knight-mad-max/]
-=== November 7th 2021: ===
+===November 7th 2021:===
 Guardians of the Galaxy, Football Manager 2022, Planet Zoo, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Tomb Raider trilogy, Wolfenstein Youngblood, Mortal Kombat 11, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2, Persona 4 Golden, Demon Slayer, among others became completely unplayable due to the Domain Codefusion expiring and not being renewed.[https://www.pcgamer.com/a-great-day-for-drm-as-denuvo-lapse-renders-tons-of-games-temporarily-unplayable/]
-=== '''May 2nd 2024:''' ===
+==='''May 2nd 2024:'''===
 Persona 5 Royal was affected after Denuvo's authentication servers became unavailable. [https://thegeek.games/2024/05/06/when-drm-is-harmful-a-popular-game-became-unplayable-for-hours-on-pc/]