Does Split Fiction have Denuvo DRM?
No, Electronic Arts and Hazelight Studios did not add Denuvo DRM software to Split Fiction. Steam — one of the platforms that the game is sold on — requires developers to disclose if they're using Denuvo or another third-party DRM for their games on their store pages, but Split Fiction's has no such notice on it.
Split Fiction has no Denuvo or other third-party DRM
One of this year's most interesting games is Split Fiction, the latest two-player co-op game from publisher Electronic Arts (EA) and developer Hazelight Studios. It features a 15-hour, genre-bending adventure in which protagonists Mio and Zoe — two fiction authors with contrasting styles and genre preferences — have to work together to stop a megacorporation from stealing the rights to the worlds they themselves created. Trapped within their sci-fi and fantasy realms, the pair must find a way to escape before it's too late.
Like Hazelight's earlier games A Way Out and It Takes Two, Split Fiction features a splitscreen format that allows each player to see the other one's perspective at all times. This is used as the basis for a ton of different cooperative puzzles and action segments, and as the game's glowing reviews show, the experience greatly impressed critics around the industry. As a result of all that high praise, many players are interested in Split Fiction now that it's out — and that means plenty of folks are also wondering if the game has Denuvo or another third-party Digital Rights Management (DRM) software in it. DRM software is used to fight piracy and verify that you actually purchased the game you're trying to play, and also often combats attempts to tamper with their code.
I'll get into why Denuvo and other forms of DRM are controversial below, but to answer the question: no, Split Fiction does not have Denuvo or other types of third-party DRM in it. This is known because Steam — one of the platforms Split Fiction is sold on — requires developers to disclose if a game they've released has third-party DRM in it; Split Fiction's Steam page makes no mention of software like that, meaning that it's absent.
Why is Denuvo DRM so controversial?
Split Fiction doesn't have Denuvo DRM, but why exactly is that something many in gaming circles will celebrate? Well, one reason is that Denuvo has been known to affect game performance before, and the impact it can make isn't exactly insignificant — a difference of 15-20 FPS, even, in rare cases — if it's implemented poorly. With that said, Denuvo generally doesn't impact how games run too much, but the concern is valid nevertheless.
A far bigger issue that people have with Denuvo and other forms of DRM, though, is that it can lock you out of playing a game if something goes wrong with the software. Denuvo also requires being online for a verification handshake when you launch a game with it — including single player games — which can be a big annoyance if your internet is down for whatever reason. Another concern is that if Denuvo eventually shuts down, games that utilize it will become unavailable to play.
It's for all of these reasons that Denuvo and other forms of DRM have a negative reputation, so I'm sure plenty of folks are glad to see that it hasn't been added to Split Fiction. It's unlikely to be added in the future, too, as developers that do use it tend to always have it integrated at launch and keep it for a year or two before removing it once piracy is less of a concern.
Split Fiction stands out as one of the best Xbox games and best PC gamesto play this year if you're after a memorable co-op experience. It's available now from a number of different retailers and platforms, with the Steam version notably discounted down to just $40.59 at CDKeys.
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