Denuvo may very well be one of the most unpopular software out there. – For those of you who don’t know what it is, chances are if you’re a PC gamer, you’ve probably come across it more than a few times without even knowing it. Especially if you play Capcom titles. – Simply put, it is a piece of anti-piracy technology that seeks, where possible, to prevent or limit the distribution of cracked (pirated) copies of video games.
Does it work? Uhh… Sometimes yes. More often no. To be precise, for a short time, but generally no longer than a week. – However, it has typically remained the only bastion of anti-piracy measures in PC gaming.
Well, aside from such practices, equally off-putting to some, such as DRM protection (games that require you to be online to play. Even in single player mode). – However, after a report via TechPowerUp, Denuvo has confirmed that its anti-piracy technology will officially make its way to Nintendo Switch!
Nintendo Switch gets Denuvo!
So, what’s it all about? Preventing piracy is definitely a good thing, right? … Well, ethically, yes. The problem, however, is that Denuvo lurks in the background when games are played and in many cases has been shown to have a direct and notable impact on game performance.
This was confirmed almost exactly a year ago when it turned out that the pirated (Denuvo-less) version of Resident Evil Village didn’t replicate the random stuttering and general performance/framerate drops that the official Steam release did! – Although it took Capcom almost 3-4 months before they finally admitted, somewhat quietly, that it used to be the anti-piracy technology that caused the game to run so poorly on gaming PC systems.
It was, frankly, yet another example of why anti-piracy measures are generally bad. Namely, because they are usually just an inconvenience to the people who buy the game really legitimately!
performance
As part of the official announcement, Denuvo has confirmed that the introduction of its anti-piracy measures on Switch titles is specifically aimed at preventing piracy via PC emulation. And in this regard, I’m sure Switch emulation is already pretty decent and has had considerably more success than efforts on the Wii U (which, while vastly improved, still remains problematic.
“Denuvo by Irdeto is pleased to unveil a revolutionary technology to protect games launching on Nintendo Switch from piracy. The announcement comes as the video game industry gathers for this year’s Gamescom, which is currently taking place in Cologne, Germany. Nintendo consoles have long suffered from piracy and the Switch is no different. Even if a game on the PC version is protected against piracy, the released version on Switch can be emulated and played on PC from day one, bypassing the strong protection offered on the PC version. This can happen with any of the many games available on Switch.
By preventing piracy on Switch while also blocking unauthorized emulations on PC, studios can increase their revenue during the game’s launch window, which is the most important period in terms of monetization. The Nintendo Switch Emulator Protection ensures that anyone who wants to play the game has to buy a genuine copy.
As with all other Denuvo solutions, the technology integrates seamlessly into the build toolchain without impacting the gaming experience. Then checks can be inserted into the code, blocking the game on emulators.
As with all other Denuvo solutions, the technology integrates seamlessly into the build toolchain with no impact on the gaming experience [Editors Note – 100% TOTAL BULLSH*T – See Resident Evil Village as just one example]. Then checks can be inserted into the code, blocking the game on emulators.” – Denuvo
Why could this be a problem?
So Denuvo is clearly having an impact on gaming PC systems, but how will it play out when applied to the Switch? Well, the problem, or rather the question, is how Denuvo is going to perform on what is, and probably always was, quite limited hardware. Keep in mind that Denuvo can give even high-performance gaming PC systems more than a few problems.
Well, while direct comparisons are difficult (as they always are between PC and console hardware, given how different they operate), the Nintendo Switch’s specs can probably be kept on par with a below-average entry-level gaming PC at best. – Don’t get me wrong, the Switch is terribly clever at how it uses its technology, but eventually it was outdated when it originally arrived in 2017.
Now that the console is starting to reach its limits in terms of what it can offer graphically, therefore, as is often the case as any system approaches its golden years, adding Denuvo to its games could be like asking Usain Bolt to to equal his world record 100m sprint time while wearing a pair of wellies.
In general, the concern is that what are temporary performance blips on PC can be monumentally magnified to massive lag spikes on the Switch with Denuvo in place. Fingers crossed, but this won’t be the case. Admittedly, I’m afraid it will, and more so, some compromises may have to be made to ensure the games work well enough with Denuvo on!
What do you think? – Let us know in the comments!
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