Regular readers know the name Denuvo as a once-impenetrable and now completely permeable anti-piracy solution for computer games. Today, however, Denuvo parent company Irdeto announced that Denuvo technology is available for PS5 developers looking for an easy anti-cheat solution for their games.
The closed system of the console game is generally less susceptible to the types of third-party memory changes and / or fraudulent applications that can result in widespread online computer games. And while modern consoles like the Switch have seen widespread hardware intrusions that make game mode relatively simple, the PS5’s ecosystem has so far been resilient to well-known external attacks (though hackers are already hacking).
Still, Denuvo says its PS5 middleware helps developers protect sensitive game logic or data, prevent fraudsters from changing sensitive variables, and ensure their reliability. The system usually works through obscuration and encryption, obscuring the real intent of the game’s internal procedures to make it harder for hackers to figure out which pieces of code affect different parts of the game. Irdeto says that this extra security layer does not affect the game’s performance, a statement backed by Ars’ own testing of Denuvo-enabled and Denuvo-free versions of Arkham Knight on PC again in 2019.
Irdeto sells its PS5 anti-cheat system as a way to ‘bring justice and fun back to games’, but also as a revenue protection mechanism for developers. Fraud “could lead to less engagement, gaming traffic and shrinking revenue for gaming publishers,” Denhard managing director Reinhard Blaukovitsch said in a statement. Irdeto says a number of PS5 launch titles contain all of this technology, but have not elaborated on which ones.
Interestingly, Denuvo sells this system as a way to protect the online game and to provide a safe reward of progress offline. ‘This means that Denuvo can be used to ensure that players do not try to install strict single-player modes that shorten the normal reward loop of a PS5 game, or to try to circumvent microtransaction payments in the game. “Securing revenue sources outside of game sales has become increasingly important for publishers who rely on advertising revenue, in-game currency, downloadable content (DLC) and the broad gamers’ long-term involvement in the games,” he said. company said in a statement.
Today’s PS5 announcement comes just months after Irdeto unveiled a version of Denuvo anti-cheat protection that integrates directly with the popular Steamworks API for PC games. Last year, Denuvo also rolled out a similar product designed to protect the integrity of mobile games.