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If the copy protection of a game is cracked, revenue drops by 20 per cent

14.10.2024

Translation: machine translated

If Denuvo copy protection is cracked quickly, studios and publishers lose 20 per cent of their revenue. This is the result of a new study. It also states that no more financial losses can be recognised twelve weeks after release.

If Denuvo copy protection is cracked quickly, studios and publishers lose 20 per cent of their revenue. This is the result of a new study. It also states that twelve weeks after release, no more financial losses can be identified.

No one knows exactly how big the piracy problem with PC games really is. A new study has now analysed the impact of copy protection measures on sales. In it, William M. Volckmann II from the University of North Carolina writes: "If Denuvo is cracked very early, piracy leads to an estimated 20 per cent drop in total revenue". Denuvo is one of the most popular copy protection software. After twelve weeks with intact copy protection, no further financial losses are recognisable. This means that there is no longer any justification for using Denuvo, says Volckmann.

The use of Denuvo repeatedly leads to heated discussions. The software is blamed for poor performance. The Austrian company behind it denies any connection. However, there are also contrary statements from game developers. Manufacturers regularly deactivate copy protection after a certain period of time. Is this due to possible licence costs or a loss of performance?

Volckmann has also investigated whether there is a connection between the type of game and the speed at which it is cracked. However, he was unable to find any such correlation.

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot is an advocate of copy protection measures.
Source: Ubisoft

The study should also encourage publishers and studios to use copy protection. This also includes online compulsion, which is now even part of single-player games. One of the advocates is Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot. He claimed over ten years ago in an interview that 93 to 95 per cent of all PC games come from illegal sources. The study also quotes Marek Španěl, CEO of Bohemia Interactive ("DayZ", "Arma"). He said at the same time that 97 per cent of logins come from cracked versions of games. Whether the dusty sources indicate that the piracy problem has fallen dramatically in the meantime, or whether it is less dramatic than claimed by the two CEOs, cannot be definitively verified. In any case, Denuvo should be pleased with the positive publicity.

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Philipp Rüegg

Senior Editor

Philipp.Rueegg@digitecgalaxus.ch

As a child, I wasn't allowed to have any consoles. It was only with the arrival of the family's 486 PC that the magical world of gaming opened up to me. Today, I'm overcompensating accordingly. Only a lack of time and money prevents me from trying out every game there is and decorating my shelf with rare retro consoles.

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