Denuvo is well known for its anti-piracy DRM software that is being used in some of the biggest games in the industry, but the company is moving in a different direction with its latest technology that will let developers track down leakers. The new system is called TraceMark for Games and should be a great deterrent for leakers.
The Denuvo anti-piracy software has been seen in recent games like Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, Assassin’s Creed: Mirage, and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown and has done its job commendably. And if this new anti-leak tech called TraceMark for Games is as good as the anti-piracy system, leakers should watch their backs. At the same time, many developers have opted out of using such DRM practices because they jeopardize the gaming experience of legitimate buyers sometimes too.
Denuvo Unveils New Tech That Catches Leakers Called TraceMark for Games
Denuvo launched its DRM software back in 2014 and was then acquired by Irdeto in 2018 after its success and deployment in massive games like Batman Arkham Knight. In recent years, Denuvo has expanded its DRM support beyond PC games and also became available on the Nintendo Switch in 2023.
TraceMark works as a watermark for different files being used in game development and can let developers add unique IDs that may even be invisible until it’s too late. If a file can be identified after being shared, it can help developers point toward the original leaker. The vice president of Irdeto says that this is a massive leap forward in protecting video game developers when their employees are working remotely or if a pre-release version is shared with content creators or journalists.
Even though the Denuvo DRM tech is fairly controversial, TraceMark for Games will likely be received much better. Leaks have been plaguing the gaming industry for a long time and have impacted the biggest video game developers. RockStar Games and Insomniac Games are recent examples of massive leaks in the industry. Something like TraceMark for Games might be able to prevent them in the future if implemented properly.
