Denuvo's Anti-Piracy Software Faces Gamer Backlash: A Response from the Product Manager
Andreas Ullmann, Denuvo's product manager, recently defended the company's anti-piracy technology against ongoing criticism from the gaming community. He characterized the gamer response as "very toxic," attributing much of the negative feedback, particularly concerning performance issues, to misinformation and confirmation bias.
Denuvo's anti-tamper DRM is widely used by major publishers to protect new game releases from piracy, with titles like Final Fantasy 16 employing the technology. However, gamers frequently claim Denuvo negatively impacts performance, often citing anecdotal evidence or unverified benchmarks. Ullmann countered these claims, stating that cracked game versions still contain Denuvo's code, adding further layers of code that actually hinder performance. "The cracks, they don’t remove our protection," he stated in an interview with Rock, Paper, Shotgun. "There is even more code on top of the cracked code...causing even more stuff to be executed. So there is technically no way that the cracked version is faster than the uncracked version."
While acknowledging "valid cases" where Denuvo negatively affected performance (like Tekken 7), Ullmann pointed to the company's FAQ which claims Denuvo has "no perceptible effect on game performance." This discrepancy highlights the ongoing debate surrounding the software's impact.
Ullmann, himself a gamer, acknowledged gamer frustration with DRM, but emphasized the significant benefits for developers. He cited studies showing a 20% revenue increase for games with effective DRM due to reduced early piracy. He argued that misinformation from the piracy community fuels the negative perception, urging gamers to consider Denuvo's contribution to the industry's longevity and avoid unsubstantiated criticism. He highlighted the long-term benefits for players: more successful games lead to longer update cycles, more content, and increased likelihood of sequels.
Denuvo's attempt to improve communication by launching a public Discord server backfired spectacularly. Overwhelmed by negative feedback and memes, the server's main chat was shut down within two days, shifting to a read-only mode. Despite this setback, Ullmann remains committed to improving communication with the gaming community, planning to expand their outreach to platforms like Reddit and Steam forums.
Whether Denuvo's efforts to improve transparency will change gamer perceptions remains to be seen. The company's goal is to foster a more productive dialogue, focusing on a shared love of gaming.
