Fans of the long-running Assassin’s Creed franchise have been eagerly awaiting the release of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Ubisoft’s latest entry that promises to take players into the captivating world of Feudal Japan. As with any major PC release, questions around Digital Rights Management (DRM) have surfaced—most notably, whether the game uses the controversial Denuvo anti-tamper technology. This article aims to shed light on what Denuvo is, what it means for gamers, and whether or not Assassin’s Creed Shadows will include it.
What Is Denuvo?
Denuvo is a digital rights management and anti-tamper technology developed by the Austrian company IO Interactive Software. Over the years, it has become one of the most common forms of DRM used in AAA games. Its primary goal is to protect digital media from piracy, particularly during the critical sales period immediately following release.
Denuvo works by integrating complex layers of protection into a game’s executable code to prevent tampering or unauthorized access. However, this form of DRM has become controversial due to the performance issues it allegedly causes. Many PC gamers report increased CPU usage, longer loading times, and in some cases, frame rate drops when playing titles protected by Denuvo.
Why Does the Inclusion of Denuvo Matter?
The inclusion of Denuvo in a game has become a significant concern among the PC gaming community for several key reasons, including:
- Performance Degradation: Reports from users and benchmark tests suggest that Denuvo-protected games can suffer from lower performance compared to titles without DRM protection.
- Longevity Concerns: There are fears about the playability of Denuvo games years down the line, especially if authentication servers are ever shut down.
- Consumer Rights: Critics argue that Denuvo punishes legitimate buyers more than it hinders pirates, especially when cracked versions often perform better.
Given these concerns, gamers frequently question whether a new release—particularly one as high-profile as Assassin’s Creed Shadows—includes this controversial DRM.
Does Assassin’s Creed Shadows Use Denuvo?
As of the latest verified information available at the time of writing, Ubisoft has officially confirmed that Assassin’s Creed Shadows will include Denuvo anti-tamper protection at launch. This was revealed through the game’s Steam page and corroborated by entries in public game database listings, which often list the DRM technologies applied to each title.
Ubisoft has a history of deploying Denuvo in many of its flagship titles, including earlier entries in the Assassin’s Creed series such as Assassin’s Creed Origins, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. While some titles have had Denuvo removed post-launch, often several months or even years later, it is a common practice for Ubisoft to protect its newest titles with DRM during the initial release window.
Community Reactions
The announcement that Assassin’s Creed Shadows will ship with Denuvo has predictably drawn strong reactions from the player base. Many users took to forums like Reddit, Steam discussions, and Ubisoft’s own forums to express their disappointment. The key concerns cited include:
- Potential performance drops, especially for users with mid- to low-end PCs
- Fears that Ubisoft may delay or never remove the DRM, as was seen in previous titles
- Deciding whether to wait for a future update that removes Denuvo or to buy the game at launch
However, not all responses have been negative. Some gamers acknowledge the need for publishers to protect their intellectual property, especially in an industry where piracy rates can be alarmingly high. There’s also a segment of players who report no tangible performance issues with Denuvo-enabled games, noting that modern hardware can often offset much of the performance impact.
Historical Precedent with the Assassin’s Creed Franchise
To understand what to expect with Assassin’s Creed Shadows, it’s instructive to look back at previous entries in the series. Ubisoft has followed a relatively consistent DRM strategy in past releases:
- Assassin’s Creed Origins: Shipped with Denuvo; DRM was eventually removed more than a year after launch.
- Assassin’s Creed Odyssey: Also released with Denuvo and had it removed several months later.
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Retained Denuvo for over a year before removal.
Based on this trend, it’s reasonable to expect that Assassin’s Creed Shadows might also have Denuvo removed eventually—although there’s no official timeline from Ubisoft regarding such actions.
What Does This Mean for Day-One Players?
For players who plan to purchase Assassin’s Creed Shadows at launch, it’s important to be aware that the inclusion of Denuvo could have implications depending on your system specifications. Here are a few practical considerations:
- Have above-minimum hardware: This may help mitigate potential performance losses.
- Wait for reviews: Day-one benchmarks and community reports will provide clearer insights into actual performance impact.
- Monitor official communication from Ubisoft: Changes to the game’s DRM structure may be announced after launch.
Is There Any Way Around It?
While some users might be tempted to look for unauthorized game versions that strip Denuvo from the executable, this poses serious ethical and legal issues. It’s important to remember:
- Using pirated versions is illegal and against the terms of service of most gaming platforms.
- Unauthorized copies can often contain malware or other security risks.
- Such actions deprive developers and publishers of revenue, potentially impacting future game development.
The only legitimate alternatives are to either accept the DRM and purchase the game or wait until Ubisoft removes it in a later update.
Conclusion
In summary, yes, Assassin’s Creed Shadows will use Denuvo anti-tamper DRM at launch. This continues Ubisoft’s trend of launching major titles with DRM protection in place to deter early piracy. While the move is understandable from a business standpoint, it remains controversial among gamers, particularly those playing on hardware where every frame per second counts.
Ultimately, it’s up to individual players to decide whether the potential drawbacks of Denuvo are worth enduring in order to experience the game at release. For those who prefer an unencumbered experience, it may be worth waiting to see if Ubisoft eventually releases a DRM-free version down the road, as they have done in the past.
Stay informed by keeping an eye on performance benchmarks, player feedback, and Ubisoft’s updates regarding Assassin’s Creed Shadows. As always, an informed consumer is an empowered one.
