HIGHLIGHTS
- Skipping Denuvo in God of War Ragnarok aims to avoid performance issues, but raises questions about game security.
- Mandatory PSN accounts for PC play have sparked backlash, especially in regions without PSN access.
- The absence of Denuvo and the PSN mandate might increase piracy, highlighting the need for a balance between protection and user satisfaction.
If you are unfamiliar with Denuvo, game developers use digital rights management (DRM) technology to protect their titles from piracy.
Significantly, it aims to prevent unauthorized copying and distribution of games, particularly during the critical launch period.
However, in the context of God of War Ragnarok, there is a report that it will not use Denuvo for its PC release, which was released on September 19, 2024.
God Of War Ragnarok Decides Not To Use Denuvo
The decision for God of War Ragnarok not to utilize Denuvo for its PC has begun to spark discussion among gamers.
Additionally, the step will even carry criticism for pulling down the game’s performance and user experience.
Crackers have quickly bypassed Denuvo in many games, leading to speculation that Ragnarok will face the same fate without protection.
In addition to the lack of Denuvo, God of War: Ragnarok will require players to create a Play Station Network (PSN) account to play the game on PC.
This has produced many negative reactions, especially given that PSN is not accessible in many areas.
The inhabitants of the mentioned areas have a problem with legal acquisition of the game, which they can solve by getting a pirated copy.
Many have criticized this implementation, stating that a network account is irrelevant for a single-player game and hampers users’ freedom.
The first part of God of War never limits the player similarly, and one starts to wonder why this was done.
Potential Impact On Piracy And User Experience
The incidences often rise to conflicts in the absence of Denuvo and the existence of the mandatory PSN account.
Most players expect that in Denuvo’s absence, pirates will be more likely to distribute cracked versions of the game.
However, as will be seen, the PSN requirement might deter genuine players who are unable to access the service.
Piracy possibilities will rise as users turn to other options that do not include elaborate, hard-to-setup accounts.
Alternatively, using accounts will limit users’ freedom to use the content as they wish.
Others feel frustrated and prefer playing pirated versions, believing they are superior to the released versions.
They believe file use restrictions and potential performance penalties are due to DRM measures.
Nevertheless, people are starting to believe that DRM only takes away the fun of gaming rather than safeguarding the game from piracy.
Balancing Protection And Accessibility
The gaming industry struggles to balance copyrighting game ideas with delivering quality games to users. This conflict often complicates their efforts to satisfy both legal and consumer demands
Developers and publishers are hunting for ways to protect their revenues from piracy.
However, there will be dissatisfaction in consumers with a certain level of restrictions when choosing or setting up the degree of protection.
Sony needed to find a balance that secures games without harming user experience.
Players and industry observers will closely monitor how these dynamics play out with God of War Ragnarok.
Moreover, it can also set precedents for future titles released by Sony or any other developer.
