Warner Bros Removes Denuvo DRM from Gotham Knights

Denuvo Finally Gone

Warner Bros has quietly removed Denuvo anti-tamper DRM from the 2022 superhero action RPG Gotham Knights. PC players can now enjoy the game without the overhead imposed by the controversial DRM system, in a move welcomed by the gaming community.

Denuvo's Troubled Reputation

Denuvo has long been a point of contention in PC gaming. Designed to prevent piracy, it has repeatedly been criticized for negatively impacting game performance — increasing CPU load and load times. Gotham Knights already faced criticism at launch for its PC performance, and Denuvo was among the culprits pointed out by players and analysts alike.

“Pirates cracked this game over 3 years ago. What was the point in keeping Denuvo for so long?”

Community Reception

The post announcing the removal garnered over 2,000 upvotes on r/pcgaming, making it one of the day's most-discussed stories. The community welcomed the decision while highlighting the absurdity of maintaining DRM on a game that was cracked almost immediately after release.

A Growing Trend

This continues a broader trend of publishers removing Denuvo from games post-launch. Capcom also recently removed the Enigma DRM from Resident Evil 4 Remake. For game preservation advocates, DRM removal is a significant positive step, as it ensures games remain accessible long-term.