Facebook
Reddit
Email
Everything you need to know about Doom The Dark Ages’ PC port, and whether the game will have Denuvo DRM at launch, or not.
Doom The Dark Ages, the next major tentpole title from Xbox’s first-party studios, as well as the iconic Doom franchise, is less than a month away from release. Much like the past titles in the series, The Dark Ages is coming to consoles and PC simultaneously. However, given it’s a first-person shooter, Doom The Dark Ages is, admittedly, best experienced on a PC.
While the game does have robust controller support, nothing beats the good old keyboard and mouse combo when it comes to FPS titles, and Doom is no exception to this rule. However, as is the case with any modern PC release nowadays, some fans might be wondering whether the PC version of The Dark Ages will ship with Denuvo or not.
Based on the game’s Steam store page, Doom The Dark Ages does have Denuvo DRM, much like its predecessor, Doom Eternal (at launch). However, there’s also some good news regarding the title, which should alleviate the DRM-related concerns players might have. Here’s everything you need to know about Doom The Dark Ages and its PC port.
Does Doom The Dark Ages Have Denuvo DRM on PC?
Similarly to Doom Eternal, Doom The Dark Ages has Denuvo DRM on PC. However, unlike Eternal, The Dark Ages does not have a mandatory Bethesda.net account requirement. Back in 2020, when Doom Eternal was released, players were required to create and log in using a Bethesda.net account before they could even access the game’s main menu.
This requirement wasn’t limited to Eternal’s PC version either. The console (PS4 and Xbox One) versions also came with a mandatory Bethesda.net account requirement. And while you could play the game offline after logging in, Doom Eternal still needed you to be online during the initial installation and boot-up process.
Furthermore, since the game also shipped with Denuvo, it had a limitation on simultaneous activation. Suffice it to say, PC players did not take kindly to the forced account requirement and inclusion of a DRM. As a result, after just a year of its release, Bethesda Softworks and id Software released an update that removed Denuvo from the game.
Although you still need a Bethesda.net account to use the multiplayer (Battlemode) aspects of Eternal, it’s completely optional. Coming back to Doom The Dark Ages, it’s understandable why the game doesn’t feature a Bethesda.net account requirement.
Unlike Doom (2016) or Doom Eternal, the upcoming title doesn’t feature any form of multiplayer game modes. The Dark Ages is essentially a single-player FPS action game, with an increased focus on storytelling this time around. While the game does still feature Denuvo, at least it will be playable offline from start to finish, without any additional requirements.
Why Do PC Players Dislike Denuvo DRM in Games?
DRM stands for “Digital Rights Management” and is essentially a tool that allows developers to alleviate instances of piracy or illegal copying of their products. While the intent behind the use of DRMs is understandable, it usually just ends up hurting the paying customer. While Denuvo has claimed that the DRM does not affect performance, there have been instances where it was proven to drastically impact the frame rate and CPU usage.
Games like Resident Evil Village have documented examples of Denuvo severely impacting performance. Additionally, despite its strict protocols, games with Denuvo still get cracked within months, if not days.
And at the end of it all, the inclusion of said DRM simply hurts the players who pay for their games. As such, it’s understandable why some PC players don’t like the idea of developers adding DRM in their games.
There have been plenty of examples of games that shipped without a DRM (Cyberpunk 2077, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, Baldur’s Gate 3, etc.), and were still incredibly successful on PC. However, on the flip side, it’s also completely understandable why a publisher might want to include DRM in their games.
Hopefully, in the case of Doom The Dark Ages, the inclusion of Denuvo will have minimal impact on performance.
Looking For More?
Thank you for reading the Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 article. We provide the latest news and create guides for Baldur’s Gate 3, Starfield, ARK Survival Ascended, and more. Also, watch Deltia play games on Twitch or visit his YouTube channel!
