Denuvo Launches SecureDLC to Protect Downloadable Content against Piracy

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Image: Denuvo

Denuvo has launched SecureDLC, the industry’s first solution to protect downloadable content against piracy. A press release shared by parent company Irdeto today can confirm that the technology is the first of its kind in the gaming market, one that aims to “extend the revenue tail for developers and publishers past the initial launch window.” SecureDLC is a small and simple API-based implementation that only requires minimal source code modification and works to prevent pirate attacks by revalidating the platform API, according to a product page for SecureDLC that claims bypassing the protection of DLC on Steam and other popular gaming platforms is currently “very easy” and encourages developers to implement the new DRM to protect their revenue streams. Denuvo anti-tamper has been a controversial topic among gamers, many of whom believe the DRM can be detrimental to performance.

“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,” said Reinhard Blaukovitsch, Managing Director at Denuvo by Irdeto. “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.”

Image: Irdeto

In addition to the actual game purchase, gaming revenue also comes from selling additional content and microtransaction-based purchases, presenting significant revenue generation opportunities for game developers and publishers. While selling additional content is an important revenue stream, it has become easy to bypass the existing barriers that try to secure DLCs on popular gaming platforms like Steam and Epic. By using public and easily accessible tools, players can automatically generate and install programs that access downloadable content without paying for it.

While some DLCs are offered for free, players typically must pay additional fees to unlock new content or features. They are usually extensions for a base game and can be anything from cosmetic items, new characters, weapons, and power-ups to big content updates for a game that are only included in certain versions of the game (like a collectors’ edition) or must be purchased separately.

Source: Irdeto

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Tsing Mui
News poster at The FPS Review.

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