Published on: 04/07/2022
Denuvo introduces new tool to secure DLC, microtransactions in video games
Anti-tamper technology and digital rights management company Denuvo has introduced Denuvo SecureDLC, an anti-piracy tool to protect both downloadable content (DLC) and microtransactions from any unauthorized access.
Usually, purchased DLCs will be checked directly by the game either via digital video game stores such as Valve’s Steam or Epic Store. SecureDLC adds more depth to this procedure by taking the DLC testing to Denuvo’s very own security mechanism.
Denuvo introduces SecureDLC
Denuvo managing director Reinhard Blaukovitsch explained in a press release that SecureDLC goes hand-in-hand with the company’s current anti-tamper tool in helping clients with all of their digital needs.
“Denuvo has become a one-stop shop for game developers to ensure the safety of their game against cheating, tampering, and piracy and to protect the gaming experience,” Blaukovitsch said.
Denuvo claimed that SecureDLC is the first of its kind to help gaming companies and publishers secure revenue from the sale of in-game items. The company acknowledged that both DLCs and cosmetics are easy to be bypassed these days, which is a massive problem for developers of free-to-play titles whose revenue entirely depends on the sale of in-game items such as skins, power-ups, and even monthly or annual content updates to ensure the game is relevant on the market despite having been released years ago, and it hoped that its SecureDLC could serve as a solution for these enterprises.
“Our current clients, big and small, are ecstatic with the results, and we are happy to help them maximize revenue and also enable new business models for these games they spent so much effort building,” Blaukovitsch added.
Previous issues
Owned by cybersecurity company Irdeto, Denuvo has made its name among PC gamers over the past years — although, for the most part, the company is notorious among gamers.
Reportedly, there have been over 200 video game titles that utilize Denuvo’s anti-piracy software. From Electronic Arts’ FIFA 2015 to BioWare’s Dragon Age: Inquisition and even recent titles such as DICE’s Battlefield 2042 and Capcom’s Monster Hunter Rise — all utilize anti-piracy protection intended to help publishers to keep anyone wanting to play without buying the game.
Some conclude that Denuvo’s anti-cheat system may lead to unwanted data leaks as it requires kernel-level drivers for the system to function. In other words, anyone who manages to find a way around this will be able to exploit and access almost everything stored in a computer.
Aside from that, a disruption to the company’s servers may also leave players unable to access their video games. Now that the company has launched a new yet similar tool, the exact privacy concerns may rise again.
Previously, the introduction of its anti-piracy tools has also been reported to affect video games’ performance in general. One prime example was found in Capcom’s 2021 Resident Evil Village. Following its launch, people who purchased the game legitimately complained that Village performed poorly. Eventually, players ended up trying the hacked version and found out that it performed better. The massive differences in performance between the two versions led many to conclude the standard version was affected by Denuvo’s anti-piracy software, which was found too demanding for most systems.
