Denuvo, a prominent provider of digital rights management (DRM) software, has initiated legal proceedings against a well-known DRM cracker identified only as 'voices38'. This move is significant as it represents Denuvo directly taking a piracy foe to court, rather than relying on individual game publishers.
The lawsuit, filed in the Northern District of California, targets voices38 for allegedly circumventing Denuvo's antipiracy measures on popular titles such as Hogwarts Legacy and Black Myth: Wukong. Denuvo is invoking the anti-circumvention provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which prohibits the circumvention of technological measures that control access to copyrighted works. This legal strategy mirrors successful actions taken by publishers like Bungie and Activision against developers of cheats for competitive multiplayer games, although those cases typically target entities with clear profit motives.
Identifying the Target
Denuvo's filing includes a list of social media and gaming service accounts linked to voices38, suggesting the company intends to subpoena platforms like Valve, Reddit, and Discord to uncover the individual's identity. This approach is similar to Rockstar's recent efforts to identify a GTA 6 leaker.
In its filing, Denuvo stated, "On information and belief, Defendant is an individual who has circumvented Denuvo’s technological measures that effectively control access to copyrighted works. Defendant has further announced, posted, or disclosed online, including through Reddit, how to circumvent Denuvo's technological measures that effectively control access to copyrighted works, facilitating or allowing others to similarly circumvent those controls and access video games without authorization."
Industry Context
Denuvo's software is often criticized by players for its perceived impact on game performance and its intrusive nature, though the company maintains its DRM does not affect game performance. Despite this criticism, many major publishers continue to utilize Denuvo's services. The legal action against voices38 highlights the ongoing challenges game companies face in combating piracy. Unlike the often-identifiable businesses that develop game cheats, piracy is typically more decentralized, making legal recourse more complex. The unmasking of voices38 is therefore a critical first step for Denuvo's legal strategy.
Despite the legal pressure, voices38 has remained publicly unfazed, reportedly commenting on the piracy-focused CrackWatch subreddit that "All is fine, everything will continue as normal."