Denuvo Anti-Cheat will be removed from DOOM Eternal after backlash

When idSoftware introduced DOOM Eternal Update 1, there were many game-related exciting things to talk about, like Empowered Demons, but they were all overshadowed by a controversy over the implementation of Denuvo Anti-Cheat system.

Denovo, as a company, has a very bad reputation amongst gaming communities, the reason being their Denuvo Anti-Tamper, which makes piracy harder but it is also infamous for causing many problems, like worsening game performance and even damaging your hardware.

When players found out that DOOM Eternal will implement kernel-based Denuvo anti-cheat a month after its release,  they were naturally worried and definitely not happy about the news.

Reports about concerns and issues started almost immediately after the patch. Many were reporting that their antivirus software is flagging Denuvo Anti-Cheat as malware, performance downgrade, or even outright not being able to play the game anymore.

Players didn't like having anti-cheat if they only play campaign(Picture: idSoftware)

After a week of silence, Marty Stratton, Doom Eternal executive producer, once again came with an update on DOOM subreddit to explain the issues and to inform players that they have heard the feedback and will be removing Denuvo Anti-Cheat system in their next PC update.

In his Reddit post, Marty explained that they were not pressured by Bethesda or anyone else, and that everything they are doing is guided solely with a desire to make the best possible experience for players. They will now try to work on a solution that allows players to choose not to have an anti-cheat system installed if they only play the single-player campaign.

When they decided to implement Denuvo Anti-Cheat system, they were guided by these factors:

• Protect BATTLEMODE players from cheaters now, but also establish consistent anti-cheat systems and processes.
• Establish cheat protection in the campaign now in preparation for the future launch of Invasion – which is a blend of campaign and multiplayer.
• Kernel-level integrations are typically the most effective in preventing cheating.
• Denuvo’s integration met idSoftware's standards for security and privacy.
• Players were disappointed on DOOM (2016) with idSoftware's delay in adding anti-cheat technology to protect that game’s multiplayer.

(Picture: idSoftware)

Furthermore, he pointed out to performance issues had nothing to do with the anti-cheat, and were a separate issue. He explains that some issues were related to customizable skins, others were based on a code change they made around VRAM allocation.

They've managed to reproduce most of them, and these issues will be fixed with the next update. They expect the game to perform as it did at launch.

Regardless of your view on Denuvo Anti-Cheat and this whole situation, it is really refreshing to see this kind of open communication and straightforwardness from Marty Stratton. This is a second time he "saves the day" after some fiasco and community outrage. He did a similar thing with his open letter to the community when he addressed a situation with DOOM Eternal compositor Mick Gordon.