More often than not, developers will apply a form of DRM on their games in an attempt to avoid piracy. Also more often than not, pirates find a way to crack them almost immediately.
DRM makes sense enough as in theory, but in practice, it often has a negative effect on a PC's performance, which, needless to say, gamers aren't too pleased about.
RiME Devs Discard Denuvo DRM
With the Windows version of RiME, a new game from Tequila Works, a form of DRM system called Denuvo was implemented, and last week, the developers promised that if pirates found a way to crack it, it would remove it. Well, barely a week later, that's exactly what happened, prompting Tequila Works to release a RiME update that no longer has Denuvo.
Oddly, the developer posted a tweet stating that RiME's publisher was actually the one that pushed for the protection system in the first place, and it was also the one that promised to remove it if cracked. That tweet has since been deleted.
The makers of RiME actually expected it would take a few days before someone could find a workaround to the DRM protection system. But just less than a week after RiME launched, Baldman, a member of game-racking site Skidrow Games Reloaded, managed to publish a workaround.
Many demanded for RiME's DRM to be removed because they've found it to be slowing game save speeds on PC since it also checks if a user is running a legitimate copy of the game.
Why Developers Implement DRM
For developers, DRM is always a murky topic, since they have to protect their games somehow, but they also can't risk drawing frustration from players who don't want performance-impeding software protection.
The studio still asserts that cracking the game may create quality problems down the road, although it did fulfill its promise of removing the DRM. The updated RiME build without Denuvo is now available to download.
RiME
RiME launched on May 26 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, with a Nintendo Switch port slated to arrive sometime this year. Critics have given it praise for its gameplay, world-building, story, and music, while some highlighted its similarities with iconic exploration games the likes of The Last Guardian, The Legend of Zelda series, and more.
Several reviews have called RiME "beautifully realized," "artistically stunning," and even "hauntingly beautiful."
RiME stars a cloaked boy exploring a new and mysterious terrain. His only weapon is his voice, which will ferry him through the game's many puzzles, roadblocks, and challenges. RiME, however, isn't as punishing as the games it's been compared with. Whereas some games deliberately deplete your progress after several failed challenges, RiME has a more easygoing approach to deaths, losses, and setbacks.
Reviews for RiME have generally been positive, with the bulk of criticism going to in-game elements and formulas critics said it borrowed from similar titles. Still, Tech Times called RiME "lush — a notably silent experience of exploration and discovery, taking place in an island as alive as the mystery our protagonist has to unearth."
