In case you were hoping it wouldn’t
Resident Evil 4 remake will be using Denuvo anti-piracy software/DRM, as evidenced by the game’s Steam listing. Despite the fact that it’s currently a single player game (and will likely remain that way outside of ancillary online features like Mercenaries leaderboards or some other, crazier DLC), Denuvo is still being used for the PC release. Here’s a quick rundown of what that could mean, and when it could be removed (if that’s the direction Capcom goes down the line).
What is Denuvo again?
Denuvo is a third party DRM (digital rights management), which first became prominent in 2014 thanks to its release from Denuvo Software Solutions. The aim is to prevent players from “cracking” a game (or preventing online cheating), with the intent of curbing piracy. Of course, DRM almost never goes over well in the PC world with consumers/legal game buyers, especially given the many snafus Denuvo has had throughout its lifetime.
Denuvo has been accused of creating hardware issues by running in the background, and there is a large “never buy anything with DRM” contingent out there to boot. In fact when some publishers eventually drop Denuvo support (sometimes due to an outcry after their initial launch sales have been sated); PC performance has been known to increase with select games.
When will Denuvo be removed from Resident Evil 4 (if ever)?
Having a publisher step in and remove Denuvo DRM is never guaranteed. For those that do the figure varies heavily, as it can depend on a lot of external factors. Some publishers may see Denuvo as a PR hit, and will disable it after a period of weeks (usually months) after they’ve reached that initial launch period sales goal. One of the highest profile cases of a publisher removing Denuvo is with NieR Replicant, which took six months. Typically publishers do this very quietly, and you’ll only find out about it in the press.
If that happens we’ll be sure to keep you updated!
Published: Mar 23, 2023 12:09 pm