Denuvo's Product Manager Addresses Gamer Backlash Against Anti-Piracy Software
Andreas Ullmann, Denuvo's product manager, recently defended the company's anti-piracy software against persistent criticism from the gaming community. He characterized the community's response as "very toxic," attributing much of the negative feedback, particularly concerning performance issues, to misinformation and confirmation bias.
Ullmann highlighted that many games, including recent titles like Final Fantasy 16, utilize Denuvo's anti-tamper DRM to combat piracy. However, gamers frequently claim that Denuvo negatively impacts performance, often citing anecdotal evidence or unverified benchmarks. Ullmann countered this, stating that cracked game versions still contain Denuvo's code, and often include additional code on top, leading to decreased performance compared to legitimate copies. He conceded that there have been "valid cases," such as Tekken 7, where performance issues were observed, but this contradicts the company's FAQ which claims Denuvo has no perceptible performance impact.
Ullmann acknowledged gamer frustration with DRM, admitting the immediate benefits are not always apparent to players. He argued that Denuvo significantly benefits developers, citing studies showing a 20% revenue increase in games with effective DRM due to reduced early piracy. He suggested that misinformation from the piracy community fuels misunderstandings and urged gamers to consider Denuvo's contribution to the industry's longevity and continued game development.
Denuvo's attempt to improve communication by launching a public Discord server backfired, as the server was quickly overwhelmed with negative feedback and memes, forcing Denuvo to temporarily shut down the main chat. 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.
The success of Denuvo's future transparency efforts in changing community perception remains uncertain. However, the company's initiative aims to create a more productive dialogue between gamers and developers, focusing on a shared love of gaming.
