Support NeoGAF

[NeoRaider]

But PCGamesN has reported that Russian hackers are claiming to have cracked the DRM on Rise of the Tomb Raider.

The identity of the hacker is unknown, but they’ve uploaded a video showing the debug process and launching the game. Reactions have been mixed, with some claiming that it’s fake, leading to a back and forth between members of the subreddit.

Thomas Goebl, director of sales at Denuvo, was asked about the crack, and said, “it’s always hard to comment on something which is not available to the public, as the article says all files currently floating around are fake.

“The general positioning of our product is ‘hard to crack’ and not ‘uncrackable’. For us it is important to secure the initial sales window of games, which worked out well on all the recent titles.”

More here: http://www.vg247.com/2016/07/05/pirate-claims-to-have-cracked-rise-of-the-tomb-raiders-drm-protection/

I call BS, this is like 10th time i am reading this.

 

[Rellik]

I thought it had been cracked on other games? Like the bottom quote box says, I thought the point was that it took weeks/months to crack.

 

[Tagg9]

I don't think it really matters whether or not it's been cracked at this point. The majority of sales come in the first few months, and RotTR has been out for almost 6 months, I think? Denuvo did its job.

 

[Aklamarth]

It's NOT cracked. There's nothing publicly available.

 

[NeoRaider]

I thought it had been cracked on other games? Like the bottom quote box says, I thought the point was that it took weeks/months to crack.

That was v1.0, on first few games that were using it. Later it was improved.

 

[starpiercer]

Nice one but too late. Unless Sales go from thousands to tens of copies, I don't think this will have an effect on sales.

Crack the app version and parade it in front of MS face. That would be funny.

 

[SomedayTheFire]

I thought it had been cracked on other games? Like the bottom quote box says, I thought the point was that it took weeks/months to crack.

It changes per game, each new game with Denuvo has a new version of Denuvo.

 

[Vlaphor]

I'm all for people protecting their software, but with how Denuvo hurts modding, it's gotta go.

 

[Valkyr1983]

Crack away. I'm glad denuvo us holding off those precious first few months though, nothing but good news for debs and publishers

 

[Visualante2]

I admire Goebl's modesty. But I still don't appreciate their presence in PC gaming. Denuvo is going to cause problems in the future for customers when publishers and developers won't remove broken DRM.

 

[Jackpot]

I call BS, this is like 10th time i am reading this.

Well, yeah, so why did you post it?

 

[Pops Maellard]

Wait, so Denuvo's official position is that they'd just like to remain uncracked during an initial "sales" window, and don't actually attempt to be uncrackable long term?

 

[Relique]

Wait, so Denuvo's official position is that they'd just like to remain uncracked during an initial "sales" window, and don't actually attempt to be uncrackable long term?

That's clearly not the message here.

 

[Tagyhag]

Doubt it, you need a 64bit debugger and nothing has come out yet.

 

[scitek]

I thought it had been cracked on other games? Like the bottom quote box says, I thought the point was that it took weeks/months to crack.

The way it was "cracked' before was basically by just using a Steam emulator, from what I've read.

 

[Valkyr1983]

Wait, so Denuvo's official position is that they'd just like to remain uncracked during an initial "sales" window, and don't actually attempt to be uncrackable long term?

Sales window is good enough, don't recall ever seeing them claim eternal protection

 

[Wowfunhappy]

Wait, so Denuvo's official position is that they'd just like to remain uncracked during an initial "sales" window, and don't actually attempt to be uncrackable long term?

Being uncrackable forever is virtually impossible. Denuvo is just being realistic.

If it remains uncracked, even better, but they make no promises.

 

[Berordn]

Wait, so Denuvo's official position is that they'd just like to remain uncracked during an initial "sales" window, and don't actually attempt to be uncrackable long term?

Sounds more like they accept it as an inevitability and they only market it to publishers as a way to protect early sales.

They'd probably love for it to be completely unbreakable.

 

[Exile20]

Wait, so Denuvo's official position is that they'd just like to remain uncracked during an initial "sales" window, and don't actually attempt to be uncrackable long term?

No dev would ever say something is uncrackable.

The best they can hope for is delaying the crack to get as much sales as possible.

 

[BitterSidekick]

Wait, so Denuvo's official position is that they'd just like to remain uncracked during an initial "sales" window, and don't actually attempt to be uncrackable long term?

To be uncrackable is as i presume you already know, impossible. They're strategy is simple, as you have said, just sell as much as you can until the crack comes out (and in this situation, the question is IF).

Sound strategy no doubt, they sold a lot and the crack is after so many months, still not out.

 

[Dick Justice]

I'm all for people protecting their software, but with how Denuvo hurts modding, it's gotta go.

MGSV uses Denuvo, and it's had a decent modding community.

 

[CecilRousso]

For us it is important to secure the initial sales window of games, which worked out well on all the recent titles.”

Which PC games does without Denuvo, but don't let that keep you from selling that snake oil Mr Goebl.

 

[Crimsonclaw111]

Which PC games does without Denuvo, but don't let that keep you from selling that snake oil Mr Goebl.

It's not snake oil. The DRM works at preventing day zero piracy thus far.

Now whether it is needed or not is debatable, but publishers need something to cling to so as not to blame themselves.

 

[Scrub Mcgrubb]

Reading the full story- you still have to run the game through a debugger... which causes the framerate to take a serious hit.

 

[Alexlf]

Doubt it, you need a 64bit debugger and nothing has come out yet.

Doesn't Radare2 have 64 bit support?

 

[SenjutsuSage]

Honestly, I think developer's games need to be protected. I know it may inconvenience people who are use to certain things, but way too many people use PC gaming as a way to steal and not pay for games. We all know this is happening, but generally play ignorant on the issue.

 

[Rellik]

That was v1.0, on first few games that were using it. Later it was improved.

It changes per game, each new game with Denuvo has a new version of Denuvo.

Ah, didn't know that.

 

[Aters]

But what if someone cracks Denuvo's server? If Denuvo's server is down, we are all fucked.

 

[Pops Maellard]

That's clearly not the message here.

It kind of seems like it though? "The general positioning of our product is ‘hard to crack’ and not ‘uncrackable’. For us it is important to secure the initial sales window of games, which worked out well on all the recent titles.”

Sounds more like they accept it as an inevitability and they only market it to publishers as a way to protect early sales.

They'd probably love for it to be completely unbreakable.

Fair enough.

No dev would ever say something is uncrackable.

The best they can hope for is delaying the crack to get as much sales as possible.

I get that. It just seems odd to admit publicly that it's really a short term goal for them.

 

[Mivey]

Which PC games does without Denuvo, but don't let that keep you from selling that snake oil Mr Goebl.

His wording is rather precise: He is saying "secure" in the sense "securing from piracy" not "securing a large number of sales". But I guess publishers don't really care about the difference and are gladly paying him. Honestly, if you are angry, then at the devs using DRM and hardening it with Denuvo. And there is, luckily, a software platform outhere (actually two) that offer stuff DRM free. If Steam were to "loose" sales to GOG and Humble, publishers and devs would react.

 

[hemo memo]

For us it is important to secure the initial sales window of games

I don't know how the DRM is implemented but why not use Denuvo for that time only and unlock after? If doesn't affect sales after and what could happen to games using Denuvo in the future.

 

[Blam]

Denuvo has been bypassed which is what people are currently using to play it. It's using a ticket system that denuvo has which allows them to bypass it. Only down side is there is that you need to get tickets from someone who already owns the game.

From a few of my cracking friends who know people in the scene there is a big scene group who currently has cracked Denuvo fully.

 

[Guess Who]

Denuvo has been bypassed which is what people are currently using to play it. It's using a ticket system that denuvo has which allows them to bypass it.

From a few of my cracking friends who know people in the scene there is a big scene group who currently has cracked Denuvo fully.

You're gonna need a source to back that up. If there's a full-fledged Denuvo crack out there it's not publicly/widely available, at least.

 

[Blam]

You're gonna need a source to back that up. If there's a full-fledged Denuvo crack out there it's not publicly/widely available, at least.

/r/CrackStatus on reddit has had a DooM bypass available for a good while now not sure if it's still up.

You also need the tickets from someone who already owns the game you are trying to play.

 

[kamspy]

After The Witcher III was completely decimated and nullified by piracy, I was really hoping this DRM would hold up.

 

[Zaventem]

I call bullshit too. Thd amount of stories i've seen with denuvo cracked ghat leads up to nothing amd we hop onto the next game featuring it is hilarious.

 

[Nzyme32]

I don't know how the DRM is implemented but why not use Denuvo for that time only and unlock after? If doesn't affect sales after and what could happen to games using Denuvo in the future.

Certainly what I am in favour of; if DRM has to be used at all I'd want it to be removed after the critical sales period or a number of years

 

[Guess Who]

/r/CrackStatus on reddit has had a DooM bypass available for a good while now not sure if it's still up.

You also need the tickets from someone who already owns the game you are trying to play.

I knew about the ticket thing, but that's more a temporary workaround than a proper crack per se. You mentioned a scene group that had completely cracked it, though.

 

[Blobbers]

I woinder if The Witcher 3 has outsold DA: Inquisition, which was released during holiday, had Denuvo, was made by EA and Bioware and won a bunch of goty awards

 

[CecilRousso]

His wording is rather precise: He is saying "secure" in the sense "securing from piracy" not "securing a large number of sales". But I guess publishers don't really care about the difference and are gladly paying him. Honestly, if you are angry, then at the devs using DRM and hardening it with Denuvo. And there is, luckily, a software platform outhere (actually two) that offer stuff DRM free. If Steam were to "loose" sales to GOG and Humble, publishers and devs would react.

Denuvo is mostly used by the larger publishers, who does not release games on GOG, and only provides Steam codes to Humble.

I don't know how the DRM is implemented but why not use Denuvo for that time only and unlock after? If doesn't affect sales after and what could happen to games using Denuvo in the future.

It's a nice thought, but publishers and devs who implement excessive DRM don't work that way. The DRM is only removed when it stops functioning an/or when the public outcry against it is enough, and the pub/dev is still around.

 

[Blam]

I knew about the ticket thing, but that's more a temporary workaround than a proper crack per se. You mentioned a scene group that had completely cracked it, though.

Yeah it has not been released to inner circles yet and is still in the working stages to make it automated from what I've heard.

The only people who have it are the people who are working on it currently.

 

[kamspy]

Denuvo is responsible for Battlefield Hardline's wild success on PC.

 

[Shifty Capone1]

After The Witcher III was completely decimated and nullified by piracy, I was really hoping this DRM would hold up.

How was it decimated? The Witcher 3 seems to have sold phenomenally well. There is no DRM whatsoever. With cracks it is all a matter of time.

 

[Hentailover]

How was it decimated? The Witcher 3 seems to have sold phenomenally well. There is no DRM whatsoever. With cracks it is all a matter of time.

To decimate means to take 1/10th of something. If he meant it like that, then I believe it.

 

[hemo memo]

Denuvo is responsible for Battlefield Hardline's wild success on PC.

Can you prove it or provide any data?

 

[Easy_D]

How was it decimated? The Witcher 3 seems to have sold phenomenally well. There is no DRM whatsoever. With cracks it is all a matter of time.

:lol. Witcher 3 was hugely successful for CDPR wasn't it? DRM is dumb unjustified shit in most cases. That said, Denuvo hasn't caused me any issues (yet)

 

[Akronis]

Denuvo is responsible for Battlefield Hardline's wild success on PC.

Uhh that game has online authentication, please tell me how pirates were playing online.

 

[daninthemix]

Serious question: is Denuvo the reason that when I try to launch ROTTR it errors out with 'The Server is not reachable' even though I've run the game before?

 

[Deadstar]

Wish that denuvo would be removed after the game being out for a month, that way it stops affecting performance.

 

[Social]

But what if someone cracks Denuvo's server? If Denuvo's server is down, we are all fucked.

You have no idea what you are talking about, do you?