Capcom’s DRM Dilemma: A Game of Musical Chairs
For players eager to dive into Capcom’s latest offerings on Steam, the presence of Denuvo DRM has become a familiar companion. Titles such as Monster Hunter Wilds, Street Fighter 6, and Resident Evil Requiem all come with this protective layer, and the anticipation surrounding the upcoming sci-fi adventure Pragmata suggests it will follow suit. However, in a surprising twist, Capcom recently opted to replace the familiar Denuvo with a different DRM solution, Enigma Protector, for its critically acclaimed Resident Evil 4 Remake. This decision was short-lived, as just 28 days later, the company reverted back to its previous strategy amid reports of performance issues.
Enigma Protector is not an unfamiliar name for Capcom; the company has utilized this service in the past, with several older titles like Resident Evil 5 and Capcom Arcade Stadium still relying on it. Yet, Denuvo has been the primary choice for the publisher’s recent blockbusters. The transition to Enigma for the 2023 remake of Resident Evil 4 caught many players off guard, as reflected in the SteamDB update logs from February 3 of this year.
Following the introduction of Enigma, players quickly began to voice concerns over noticeable drops in PC performance. Digital Foundry took it upon themselves to investigate these claims, confirming that in certain scenarios, CPU throughput had indeed suffered compared to the prior Denuvo version. While the game maintained an impressive lifetime Steam user score of 95%, the performance hiccups led to a surge in negative reviews, as illustrated in the accompanying graphs.
Fast forward to March 3, and Capcom has once again altered the landscape by removing Enigma Protector from Resident Evil 4. The latest update on SteamDB reflects this change, and the mention of Enigma DRM has vanished from the game’s Steam page. Interestingly, Denuvo has yet to make a return, leaving Resident Evil 4 in a state of what some might call DRM purgatory. Currently, there is no indication of any third-party DRM providers on the Steam page, nor is there evidence of Denuvo being reinstated in the SteamDB data.
For those who champion the anti-DRM cause, this may seem like a moment of victory. However, it would be wise to temper celebrations, as Capcom is likely to address this gap swiftly. Given the ongoing reliance on Denuvo for its major titles and the enduring popularity of Resident Evil 4, a return to the status quo seems imminent.
For gamers seeking a DRM-free experience, GOG remains a viable alternative, although it currently does not host Resident Evil 4 or the newly released Requiem. Nonetheless, GOG does offer a selection of classic titles from the series, including the original three Resident Evil games, catering to fans of the franchise who prefer a more liberated gaming experience.
