Does Payday 3 have Denuvo DRM? Answered

Are you wondering if Payday 3 features the infamous Denuvo anti-tamper digital rights management (DRM) system, and if so, why the developers have decided to use this protective software?

Update on 22 November 2023: Payday 3 no longer has Denuvo, as confirmed by devs just before launch! 

Original article follows.

Payday 3 Denuvo Confirmed: Dev Reasons

We are just going to pull off the bandaid right now. Yes, Payday 3 does make use of Denuvo anti-tamper technology.

The Denuvo protection has been enabled since Payday 3's testing phase. The developers decided to use Denuvo despite the game already being online-only and featuring their own Nebula account system. The developers explain why they are using Denuvo for Payday 3:

We have added Denuvo’s Anti-Tampering functionality for PAYDAY 3 in order to safeguard the game and protect its intellectual property. This will ensure that PAYDAY 3 is not pirated and we as developers can concentrate on what we do best: create a great experience for aspiring heisters.

Denovu has been linked to poor performance in some titles in the past, so just the mention of a game using it can send shivers down the spine of some PC gamers. According to the developers, however, Denovu has been used since Payday 3's internal testing. The developers noted no impact on performance, stating:

Denuvo Anti-Tampering was already implemented during internal playtests, with very positive results as it did not impact the performance of the game at all. It will also be implemented in the Technical Beta.

It remains to be seen if Payday 3's performance will be impacted in real-world tests and more PC gamers with different hardware setups get their hands on the high-octane heist FPS.

Please note: We have no problem at all with anti-piracy measures. However, Some PC gamers simply can't stand Denuvo DRM due to the possibility of poor performance when this software is implemented. 

To get hyped for Payday 3's full release on 21 September 2023, check out the awesome live-action trailer entitled "Follow the Money" below and get ready to party up!

So there you have it; Payday 3 does have Denuvo anti-tamper DRM tech. However, the developers say that it does not impact performance. If anything changes, or if Denuvo gets removed in the future, we will endeavor to update this article.

Looking for more Payday 3 content? We've got you covered with a range of helpful guides below.