Four Back-to-Back Pirate Game Releases Signify Denuvo Protection Troubles

• The “CPY” games release group has published four new titles, all of which were protected by Denuvo.
• This could mean that the Austrian DRM system has been cracked, but it’s not certain yet.
• Many game publishers rely on Denuvo, and it was previously so good it stagnated the game pirate scene.

The pirate gaming scene has been crawling in the recent months, with most crackers throwing the white towel against protection systems like ‘Denuvo.’ However, four new game titles have been cracked and released yesterday by “CPY,” which could mean that the hackers have found a way to break the protection system.

Denuvo is a DRM (digital rights management) system and anti-tamper technology created six years ago by an Austrian software company. It has been since used successfully by the FIFA franchise, Just Cause, Total War, Metro Exodus, Football Manager, Ace Combat, Tekken, Sonic, Doom Eternal, Devil May Cry, and many more. The software uses a 64-bit encryption machine that can only be unlocked online using the key that is provided with a (legal) game purchase.

Some cracks appeared along the way, but Denuvo either patched the system or the hackers got arrested soon after their release. In other cases, the cracks came many months after the game’s initial launch, so the sales weren’t affected significantly. All in all, Denuvo has been keeping the game-cracking scene in check while protecting game creators and publishers and securing their profits.

CPY is threatening to bring turbulence to the still waters of the scene, as the group has just released four highly popular game titles, namely ‘Mafia: Definitive Edition,’ ‘Death Stranding,’ ‘PES 2021’, and ‘Total War Saga: Troy.’

Among these titles, the PES 2021 one was released in September, so it was extremely fresh. The Mafia game was also released last month, but that one was a remake of the original 2002 title, so the interest in it may not have been equally hot. The other two are easier to justify, as Total War was offered for free recently, and Death Stranding came out for PC three months ago.

So, there’s the natural question that arises about whether Denuvo has been cracked or not. However, for now, no definitive answers can be given. If CPY or anyone else comes out with more releases in the following period, then we can certainly see a problem for the Austrian DRM system.

Whether you should be downloading these releases, it goes without saying that you’re risking legal prosecution and malware infections if you do it.

Support the creators and buy games from their legal channels of distribution. If the titles are too expensive for your wallet, play something else, and keep an eye on special offers and holiday discounts. They will come eventually, so piracy and the risks that come with it are never worth it.