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Denuvo, the infamous company on which game developers rely on to implement DRM to almost every new release nowadays, to varying degrees of performance issues and even worse user experiences, has announced today that their protection technologies are now available and accessible as an authorized Nintendo Switch "middleware" in the Nintendo Developer Portal (NDP).

This means that now developers working on Nintendo Switch titles or ports now have the accessibility and option to add Denuvo's anti-piracy protection, which they titled "Nintendo Switch Emulator Protection". Their goal is to disallow any new game release from running in Nintendo Switch emulators, although this remains yet to be seen and properly tested from the end-user perspective. It is currently unknown how they would check between an emulator and real-hardware, but we can be sure that the current emulator developers (be it Yuzu or Ryujinx) will catch unto it and go into details about it when they find a game that uses it.

Denuvo released a following statement regarding Nintendo Switch games that are released as multi-platform and their emulation on day one in comparison with other consoles/PC:

Even if a game is protected against piracy on its PC version, the version released on Nintendo Switch can be emulated from day one and played on PC, therefore bypassing the strong protections offered on the PC version. This can happen with any of the numerous games available on Nintendo Switch.

By blocking unauthorized emulations on PC, studios are able to increase their revenue during the game launch window, which is the most important period for monetization. The Nintendo Switch Emulator Protection will ensure that anyone wishing to play the game has to buy a legitimate copy.

Alongside this statement, Denuvo claims that "the technology integrates seamlessly into the build toolchain with no impact on the gaming experience", but given almost every release that uses it and comparisons in performance between before and after the removal of Denuvo's DRM from known games, it's doubtful that this will be the case. To close it up, the CEO of Irdeto, Doug Lowther, said the following:

As gamers, we know first-hand how piracy negatively affects the gaming industry. We’re thrilled to be part of the Nintendo Developers Portal, so that we can provide the latest technologies to help fight this issue for Nintendo Switch players and developers.

We witness an increasing need to protect against emulation on PC from game launch, our solution is a must have for publishers to monetize the games fairly on this platform and also not impact PC game sales.

Additionally, it remains to be seen just how this would affect gamer that don't connect their Nintendo Switch to the internet, or only use it for handheld gaming with no internet connection, given how the DRM is known to do its checks with a connection to the internet, as having a hybrid console this means that the system wouldn't always have an internet connection available.

Source

 

[DeadSkullzJr]

That is, assuming Nintendo will use it in their games, people would probably boycott them if that ever happen.
By the way, you all should already be boycotting them for allowing this nonsense to exist on their ecosystem.

I already "boycott" through other means as it is.

List:
- I don't dispense time or touch bad titles on the platform if I can help it. Mind you I'm not someone who expects a lot, I just want a good game with good gameplay, not buggy messes.

- I don't buy into DLC crap on the platform at all. Not worth spending $100+ on a single game alone, let alone a library of games, you either give it to me 100% complete or get lost, because that's what I pay $45-$60 for, not a half baked mess.

- I don't pay for the online subscription at all. There's nothing there that's worth it, not to mention I had online access on previous platforms for free, the fact online services used to be free on the Nintendo Switch in the beginning and now it not being free is just a slap in the face that I feel others intentionally forget about.

I basically rarely use my system as a result of all this, and it makes sense why. HOWEVER, that doesn't mean I never buy stuff for it, Metroid Dread and Metroid Prime Remastered for example are worth the buy, I'll buy and cheer Nintendo on when they actually do something good, but I'll show them who is in charge when they aren't, and I think I do a pretty good job of that with how I handle things, this won't be any different where the Denuvo crap is concerned.

Post automatically merged: Aug 25, 2023

Switch is already a weak console that barely runs 30fps, with unstable internet connection problem and low battery life.
add Denuvo it's overkill lol.

This is massively exaggerated. The Nintendo Switch is definitely more than capable of handling way past 30FPS, in fact plenty of titles strive and can sit at 60FPS, the problems mostly lye upon the lack of code optimizations and just general handling of the hardware, if a Nintendo 3DS can hit 60FPS, then I am pretty sure a tablet with nearly double if not triple the power can too. Even some of the homebrew solutions out there that tap directly into the hardware for overclocking and such have proven the hardware is there, it's just either under utilized or most people are busy trying to turn their tablet into a NASA grade super computer for no good reason and causing it to get hotter than the damn sun. Low battery life I can agree with, though I've heard that revisions, later models, have rectified this better, no idea how true that is, my model was before these massive revisions. In terms of the internet, based on my use cases whenever I tried the trial periods, I didn't have an issue with it personally, so I can't say much on that.

 

[Hassal]

You actually overestimate the amount of pirates there is.
Yes, it's "a lot". But the amount of Switches and games sold, it's such a tiny % that it's more or less a rounding error.

Doesn't matter, if pirates want to play games and they cannot on PC they will be pushed to obtain a hacked switch since the barrier of entry is so low they wouldn't give it a second thought assuming this is not PR stunt only effecting PC side.

Games with denuvo are coming next month so we will soon find out.

 

[Purple_Heart]

I hate denuvo more and more... Like wtf is next.... This shit here:

 

[Halbour]

expect all switch games using it to run 20% slower now as if they weren't slow enough!

Pirating FT------


Never mind.

Post automatically merged: Aug 25, 2023

Time for Switch games to run even worse than before!

So excited!!!!

 

[JeepX87]

The switch is already 7 years old.

Actually 6 years because Switch's 7th birthday isn't until March 2024, but you are correct if it is 7th year.

Although, game console enter 5th year is considered as late life cycle, but it is strange to see Nintendo said about middle of life cycle.

I don't have a prediction for next gen that is successor to Switch, despite rumors and leaks because Nintendo could lingers by few years. If I have to predict - it could be 2025 and worst scenario would be 2027. If Nintendo announces new console later this year, 2024 is very likely.

Post automatically merged: Aug 25, 2023

Rumors says a "new switch" will appears in 2024.

It is possible if Nintendo announces next gen console later this year.

Maybe this denuvo shit is focused for the new hardware?

I doubt that Nintendo will use same Switch security system (such as RCM) in next gen console, so it will be new and faster hardware with new security system, so it will be unhackable until there is surprise miracle like exploit, similar to Fusée Gelée in Switch.

If next gen console is hacked, yeah, Denuvo definitely make DRM available to game developers.

 

[AxlSt00pid]

So now the games will run even worse because Denuvo will eat resources like a maniac?

And some of them will also require internet if the devs do not disable that option (like Sega), making them "portable" a hassle since you can't expect to have internet everywhere?

Way to go guys

 

[Yachtmaster]

the best way of protest is removing your credit card or paypal link from the eshop, that's what I did yesterday and Nintendo gonna panic if many of us do so ... No way spending one more cent in a Denuvo investest ecosystem.

 

[JeepX87]

the best way of protest is removing your credit card or paypal link from the eshop, that's what I did yesterday and Nintendo gonna panic if many of us do so ... No way spending one more cent in a Denuvo investest ecosystem.

It won't help because majority of their customers aren't using hacked Switch.

I seriously doubt that Nintendo would use Denuvo for first party games.

 

[HRudyPlayZ]

Ok some info regarding this malware:
- It won't be the full Denuvo DRM, the Switch would just run out of memory if it was. The full Anti-Temper has been proven to cause significant performance impacts even on PCs that might be 20 to 100 times more powerful than a Switch.

- It's specifically about preventing emulators, Irdeto, the malware creator, has started marketing it on their site already.

- Since it's not really the full DRM, we can expect performance loss to be much smaller, though it will still exist. My guess is that loading times will be much slower, but in-game it will be a 1fps loss. Agree that the Switch doesn't need that since it already struggles quite a lot with some games.

- Knowing how Irdeto develops their scamware, it's likely gonna be an always-online trash that just applies emulator checks.

- It's likely gonna be useless too and will probably just bring back the AP patches from the DS-era (very effective against piracy or emulators amr? )

- It's likely not gonna be used much in actual games, i mean the switch is mid to EOL, and i think Irdeto knows that well.
I mean looking at their website, they develop a lot of scamwares that they hope some publisher will be stupid enough to buy. In fact, we're talking about a company that develops anticheats for the PS5 and Xbox Series X lol.

 

[lolcatzuru]

the clues are all there mate from skidrow and other hacking groups put 2 and 2 together. also no woman hacker is that batshit crazy. his 100% a guy he was exposed and hasn't said a fucking word ever since!

that doesnt answer my question

 

[XBzombieMan1337]

As someone who legitimately dumps their switch games (despite how tedious it can be) for the sake of playing games with friends via Parsec on my PC. The idea of DRM targeted towards emulation is pretty sickening, especially for those of us who honestly and legally dump our switch titles that we rightfully owned and paid for!

 

[ChronosNotashi]

The thing is, it's a limited amount of people pirating on a console. While 99.9% pirates on emulation on PC. I do understand companies like Nintendo seething seeing TOTK playable on something else than the Switch during current gen where the PC is an indirect competition to the Switch if so.

To be fair, TOTK being pirated probably wouldn't have been as much of a big deal...if it weren't for the fact that people were pirating and publicly streaming the game a WHOLE TWO WEEKS before the actual release date. i.e. Before any legitimate paying customer actually got their hands on copies of the game. Which, afaik, is quite uncommon, and pretty excessive even by this community's standards (at least, I hope it's excessive even by this community's standards, though I won't be surprised if it isn't).

From my perspective, the implementation of Denuvo is a disliked, yet expected move in response to people who pirated ToTK very early "kicking the hornet's nest".

 

[subcon959]

From my perspective, the implementation of Denuvo is a disliked, yet expected move in response to people who pirated ToTK very early "kicking the hornet's nest".

That's not what's happening. It's not Nintendo who is implementing this.. the creators of Denuvo are trying to scare third party publishers/devs. If Nintendo were interested in such a thing they would develop their own protection, but they won't because they know their games don't leave any headroom for performance losses.

 

[Hassal]

To be fair, TOTK being pirated probably wouldn't have been as much of a big deal...if it weren't for the fact that people were pirating and publicly streaming the game a WHOLE TWO WEEKS before the actual release date. i.e. Before any legitimate paying customer actually got their hands on copies of the game. Which, afaik, is quite uncommon, and pretty excessive even by this community's standards (at least, I hope it's excessive even by this community's standards, though I won't be surprised if it isn't).

From my perspective, the implementation of Denuvo is a disliked, yet expected move in response to people who pirated ToTK very early "kicking the hornet's nest".

Why would they care? They sold close to 20 million copies over a course of 3 months which is a feat no other game in the industry has achieved. They made 1.4 BILLION in revenue from this game alone. Only a moron would sympathize for this company.

 

[retrospect]

It's kinda funny that they just released the new Zelda without this DRM and that's probably the last big release for Switch

 

[jos010]

why so late this protection

 

[Subtle Demise]

Remember Rare. some N64 games took years to get a 100% crack

Not just those. I seem to remember joining this forum around the time DS games started implementing copy protection. Then there was 3DS as well, although those might not have been as common. Hell, if you play on crappy/outdated emulators there are some SNES and PS1 games that don't work and just give you a piracy nag screen. I think Fatal Fury for the SNES was the first one that did it to me.

 

[DragonMals]

It's kinda funny that they just released the new Zelda without this DRM and that's probably the last big release for Switch

I really want to know the state for Metroid Prime 4 badly...

 

[Subtle Demise]

*he is
*a bit completely deluded and deranged

There are also others that are able to but dont make it as public, they dont need the attention EMPRESS VOKSI needs.
+ the fact that almost every of his releases need an external tool like Goldbergs or Nermitingas emus and that he after all never cracks Denuvo, "just" makes it so the DRM isn't able to properly do it's job, it's still in place though and that's why he claims the DRM is at fault for issues with his "crack" (more a bypass).

Voksi has been irrelevant since being arrested and I'm guessing imprisoned. As for the external tools, why go through the trouble of cracking Steam when there are already many tools that do that?

 

[linuxares]

why so late this protection

Most likely advertisment for the upcoming console. Probably won't be widly adopted for the current console.