Anti-Tamper Software Maker Denuvo Files Lawsuit Against DRM Hacker Voksi
Voksi and Revolt have been shut down by Bulgarian authorities.
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Denuvo anti-tamper is a name that causes a lot of gut reactions if you're a seasoned PC gamer. The anti-tamper tech, or DRM, is a popular way for game developers to prevent their games from being pirated, at least for a little while. It's not long until the DRM is "cracked" by hackers who find ways to bypass the unpopular software. Now, Denuvo has filed a lawsuit against Voksi and his hacker group REVOLT, one of the biggest names in the DRM cracking scene.
In a reddit post to r/CrackWatch, a subreddit dedicated to hacking DRM enabled games, Voksi revealed why his website REVOLT is no longer functioning. "It finally happened, I can't say it wasn't expected, Denuvo filed a case against me to the [Bulgarian] authorities," Voksi writes. "Police came yesterday and took the server PC and my personal PC."
Voksi explains that he contacted Denuvo looking for a "peaceful resolution" but Denuvo reportedly responded that the matter will be decided by Bulgarian prosecutors. Voksi writes the they will no longer be able provide cracks for Denuvo DRM. "Sadly, I won't be able to do what I did anymore. I did what I did for you guys and of course because bloated software in our games shouldn't be allowed at all. Maybe someone will continue my fight."
Denuvo anti-tamper is a popular DRM software that prevents illegal piracy of video games. Denuvo might be able to protect a game for weeks or months, but the rush to break past the software is aggressive. Still, many argue that Denuvo protects a game from piracy during the launch period which is crucial for sales. Some developers even remove Denuvo voluntarily after a certain time period or after it's been cracked.
However, there are some that say Denuvo is anti-consumerist or at worst, harmful to games. Sonic Mania has recently come under fire after it was said the Sonic Mania Encore DLC's "rushed" Denuvo implementation caused Sonic Mania to slow down. Tekken producer Katsuhiro Harada also suggested stuttering issues in Tekken 7 were caused by Denuvo.
Denuvo remains deeply unpopular with a certain group of PC gamers and there are multiple groups who crack the DRM software. But Voksi's forced retirement from the scene means one of the most well-known and popular cracking groups might be out of commission for now.