Capcom's most recent addition to the Resident Evil series, Resident Evil Village, has recently had its controversial DRM software Denuvo removed. This update comes almost two years after the game was first released, allowing PC players to enjoy the game without concerns about performance issues caused by the software known for causing such problems in many games.
Denuvo is a Digital Rights Management (DRM) system developed by Irdeto with the purpose of protecting video games from piracy and other unauthorized copying or distribution. It operates by encrypting specific files in a game and rendering them inaccessible unless authenticated through an online server or with an activation key provided by the game's publisher. While it has its advantages, such as safeguarding developers from lost sales due to piracy, it is also notorious for causing performance issues in some PC games due to its encryption process, which can lead to slower loading times and stuttering in gameplay for titles like Resident Evil Village.
The notification indicating that Denuvo would be included in the game has been removed from store pages, indicating that this change is permanent and deliberate. This move means that RE8 now joins Devil May Cry 5, Monster Hunter World, and both Remakes of Resident Evil 2 & 3 without Denuvo. It is worth mentioning that Capcom had previously announced plans to eliminate it in October 2020, but it is only now being implemented.
The reason why Capcom opted to wait almost three years to eliminate the controversial DRM software is unclear, but it seems that they eventually decided to take action. Fans are relieved by this development, as many have desired to enjoy these titles without concerns about potential performance issues caused by Denuvo's presence in the game. It is uncertain if other titles will follow suit or if future releases will feature different protection systems instead of Denuvo, or none at all, when released on PC platforms.
In summary, Capcom's choice to remove Denuvo from RE8 is great news for fans who have been enduring subpar performance mainly due to this highly contested DRM software. Hopefully, more developers will refrain from using such intrusive measures in the future so that we can all enjoy our favorite games without any worries or hassles.
