Doom Eternal is one of my favorite FPS game sequels, as it stays true to the original’s epic rip-and-tear gameplay. If you’ve conquered its demons yourself, then you may be familiar with the game’s inclusion of controversial anti-tampering software, Denuvo. It’s a DRM technology intended to prevent cheating and piracy, but it often prompts criticism from fans who allege that Denuvo causes performance issues. Bethesda launched Starfield without the software recently and has now removed it from Doom Eternal.
Following its first big update, Doom Eternal implemented the Denuvo anti-cheating system. Many players believe that the software causes performance issues while gaming, leading to annoyance with developers who choose to use it. This belief led to the Doom Eternal Denuvo review bomb, an incident that saw fans leaving countless negative reviews on the iconic Doom sequel.
Despite the DRM software’s declaration on the matter of performance drops, in which they state Denuvo exists both “to the benefit of the game publishers” as well as fans, players are not entirely convinced. After years of fan complaints in Steam discussions and on platforms such as Reddit, where players posted about locating non-Denuvo versions of Doom Eternal, Bethesda has pulled the software from the beloved FPS sequel.
It’s not all that surprising, since multiple triple-A games are launching without Denuvo. For instance, Tekken 8 won’t feature Denuvo, and Bethesda’s latest RPG itself, Starfield, doesn’t include the software. According to its Steam database entry, Doom Eternal is free of the controversial DRM technology now, too, following its massive 6.66 update.
The change log refers to the game’s removal of a “third-party DRM,” then specifying that it’s Denuvo. The situation feels similar to how Resident Evil Village removed Denuvo following the horror behemoth’s release, or how Octopath Traveler 2 did, as more developers and publishers opt out of its services.
If you’re interested in shooting and looting but want to try something new, you should check out some of the best PC games this year has offered so far. Alternatively, browse through some of the coolest free games right now to dip your toes into a fresh experience without breaking the bank.