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[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

The Digital Foundry team recently received reports that the PC version of the Resident Evil 4 remake has ditched the controversial Denuvo DRM - but the good news was short-lived as it appears that Capcom has replaced it with what many believe is the Enigma Protector DRM, causing performance drops and issues with long-standing, highly regarded mods. We decided to take a look. Is performance impacted? And beyond that, what are the ramifications for switching DRM years after a game's release? To put it simply, we think it's a very bad idea, especially for a game that's almost three years old.

First of all, let's talk about performance in the most general terms. There are a couple of key performance bottlenecks that may impact any given gaming PC: primarily, the capabilities of the graphics card. Secondarily, the prowess of the CPU. In the case of DRM performance hits, it's the CPU that is most impacted.

Alex took a look at the game running with a Ryzen 5 3600 paired with an RTX 4070 Super and compared the latest Steam release of Resident Evil 4 to a patched version courtesy of the "RESTORE PREVIOUS VERSION" mod found on Nexus Mods.

By ramping up settings while reducing GPU load as much as possible at 1440p via FSR 2 performance mode, we can isolate pure CPU performance. Looking at the game's rendered intro, we found a circa 40 percent drop to CPU game throughput. Clearly, the CPU is being occupied with other tasks instead - and the new DRM is the most likely candidate. In this scenario, an average 1.9ms of CPU time is sucked out of the game - which is pretty shocking. Immediately after the intro, we move into gameplay where the deficit shifts to a 20 percent drop in performance.

However, moving further into the game sees something curious happen. Once we reach the village, populated by zombie AI, CPU performance between old and new versions can stabilise with almost entirely like-for-like frame-rates. That said, once the zombies move out of camera view, a performance variance opens up again in favour of the older version of the game. In short, CPU performance seems to have various bottlenecks - zombie AI can supersede the impact of DRM, but where there are no zombies, the DRM can really make itself known in terms of depressed frame-rates.

As things stand, a mod is available to restore the game to how it was before the new DRM was added - a makeshift measure while creators of mods like the excellent REFramework aim to get the new version of the game fully working (right now, there are still some crashing issues) but there really is a much larger point we can't ignore.

The use of intrusive DRM changes the performance profile of a game that was reviewed three years ago - the goalposts have shifted in terms of how well a user can expect the game to run and initial performance testing on the CPU side is now void. Ideally, performance should improve over time with bug fixes and optimisations. It shouldn't get markedly worse in any dimension at all. Is there any other industry where you can buy a product and then arbitrarily have its function diminished without consultation?

Worse still, as Oliver mentions in this week's DF Direct, there's the sense that publishers are treating PC builds as mutable testbeds, where aggressive DRM experiments and platform controls are added over time, sometimes at the expense of stability, performance and modding. Capcom is on the record as recognising the positive impact of mods but at the same time worries about how unchecked mods can lead to "reputational damage".

At this point in Resident Evil 4's lifecycle, mods are adding features the game arguably should have had at launch - like DLSS support via REFramework- and it's hard to see any negative impact at all. Meanwhile, if we're talking "reputational damage", the impact of the new DRM is, we'd say, far more disadvantageous to Capcom. Realistically, there are no winners in releasing this patch.

Our take on this is that if a game must ship with DRM, the process needs to be done in a transparent manner with consumers, the goalposts shouldn't shift post-launch and - crucially - DRM should be budgeted into game performance targets. Resident Evil 4 Remake remains a great game, but on PC, it's now a worse version of itself than the one reviewers and early adopters played. From that perspective alone, this retrofitted downgrade is difficult to defend.

Tested: Resident Evil 4 Remake's New PC DRM Impacts CPU Performance

The game doesn't run as well as it used to - and that's not acceptable.

www.digitalfoundry.net

 

[Durin]

I likely have the horsepower to still play the game at a better than 60fps experience, but it's still fucking stupid to do this vs just using Steam's DRM. It's already been cracked, Capcom lost to piracy already, and are just hurting the consumer with this.

 

[joeygreco1985]

I likely have the horsepower to still play the game at a better than 60fps experience, but it's still fucking stupid to do this vs just using Steam's DRM. It's already been cracked, Capcom lost to piracy already, and are just hurting the consumer with this.

I suspect this is a test of the DRM in production before its implemented into Requiem

 

[clintar]

I guess everyone has to pirate to get good performance out of their game?

 

[Reizo Ryuu]

what's with the OG RE4 in the thumbnail is this is about remake?

Also it's suddenly ok here to recommend pirating games?

 

[BennyBlanco]

If I ever feel like playing this again it's gonna be the FatGuy version. Pirate bros just keep winning. The game is already cracked so what's the point? Should've just removed Denuvo and been done with it.

 

[winjer]

Monster Hunter Wilds and now Resident Evil 4, Capcom sure has a talent to screw up performance of their games.
What kind of stupid idiot thought this was a good idea....

 

[DeepEnigma]

Is it impacting IQ as well?

 

[Soodanim]

Capcom have this uncanny ability to be one of the best and worst in the business at the same time. They have been pulling shit like this for years, and it wasn't too long ago they randomly decided to mess with Rev 1. It caused less of an issue because it isn't as current, but it's still fucking with people's purchased products and that just isn't right.

Capcom as a dev: medium to great
Capcpom as a pub: utter arseholes with total disdain for their customers

 

[Durin]

I suspect this is a test of the DRM in production before its implemented into Requiem

Maybe should've kept those tests internal than nerf the purchases of an older game.

 

[xenosys]

Capcom really are braindead. I'm not sure who are more anti-consumer right now, them or Sega.

 

[lh032]

Seems like these drm thing is going to stay and getting more popular on PC gaming.

In the future at least a mid end cpu is required to run games properly thanks to drm

 

[Lokaum D+]

 

[Hadoukens]

This affects me directly having an older CPU.
Guess I'll wait for older CPU benchmarks for Requiem now.

I guess everyone has to pirate to get good performance out of their game?

It's always pirates who get the best versions of games, isn't it?

 

[Closer]

I guess everyone has to pirate to get good performance out of their game?

No? You just need a .exe mod.

 

[Jesb]

When you start penalizing your paying customer that's pretty wild.

 

[Bitstream]

Clearly doing some tests before rolling it out in RE9. Wonder how much it will kill the performance when running path tracing. Something tells me it's going to be a fucktonne

 

[Windom Earle]

Fuck Capcom.

 

[CliffBronger]

Crazy situation, especially since its been cracked already.
Why not just remove all the DRM completely and sell it on GOG.
They would sell more copies doing this.

 

[clintar]

No? You just need a .exe mod.

I'm sure Capcom would be just fine with you doing that? And if so, why don't they ship their executable that way? Hmmmmm

 

[Closer]

I'm sure Capcom would be just fine with you doing that? And if so, why don't they ship their executable that way? Hmmmmm

Why would you need to pirate the game to play without DRM? Are you really that tech illiterate?

 

[Bojji]

So... I did some testing myself on 5800X3D. Turns out, differences on CPU like that are small.

CPU limited (1440p, FSR2 Performance), left is new DRM:

GPU limited:

The same.

 

[nkarafo]

You know who isn't affected by this performance issue?

The pirates.

 

[rodrigolfp]

So... I did some testing myself on 5800X3D. Turns out, differences on CPU like that are small.

CPU limited (1440p, FSR2 Performance), left is new DRM:

GPU limited:

The same.

Why don't you force FSR4 with Optiscaler? No one deserves crap FSR2.

I'm sure Capcom would be just fine with you doing that? And if so, why don't they ship their executable that way? Hmmmmm

Why should anyone care what Crapcom thinks???

 

[nkarafo]

I guess everyone has to pirate to get good performance out of their game?

I assume you can still buy the game and then only download the cracked files to turn it into the "pirated" version.

I remember doing this back in the day in order to not have to insert discs every time i wanted to play a game.

Does that count as piracy?

 

[Bojji]

Why don't you force FSR4 with Optiscaler?


Why should anyone care what Crapcom thinks???

I only used FSR2 for testing purposes only.

I played the game with interlaced 4k mode.

 

[Killer8]

What happened to early reports of better 1% lows with the new DRM? I would trade 50fps for that any day of the week.

 

[rodrigolfp]

Does that count as piracy?

Technically it is as you download the .exe from a "unauthorized" source.

I only used FSR2 for testing purposes only.

I played the game with interlaced 4k mode.

You should try FSR4 anyway.

 

[dragonyeuw]

Uggghh, this game was pretty much on the immediate horizon of games I wanted to buy and play next( I tend to stay a few years behind full prices releases and grab em when they hit the $15 dollar range). I preferred this on Steam but now I'm wondering if I should grab it on PS5 instead.

 

[David_Android]

oh no 85 instead of 95 fps what weillw e do now? is it in a cpu bound scenario too? would make these youtube clowns even more funny.

 

[Bojji]

Technically it is as you download the .exe from a "unauthorized" source.


You should try FSR4 anyway.

On nexus mods, .exe is just older exe with Denuvo - straight from Capcom.

Can't use FSR4 on nvidia

 

[nkarafo]

It's always pirates who get the best versions of games, isn't it?

Yes and no. Pirated version is the best since it's portable and DRM free but updating it to a newer versions is a bitch. Most pirates are stuck with the initial version they got and never update. Other times newer versions aren't even cracked at all, i think this is the case with RE4.

Technically it is as you download the .exe from a "unauthorized" source.

But you bought the game. You just cracked it for convenience and better performance. In that case it's not that different than using a mod.

 

[rodrigolfp]

On nexus mods, .exe is just older exe with Denuvo - straight from Capcom.

Can't use FSR4 on nvidia

Capcom didn't authorized the .exe distribution on Nexus.

FS4 via Opstiscaler works on Nvidia too.

Yes and no. Pirated version is the best since it's portable and DRM free but updating it to a newer versions is a bitch. Most pirates are stuck with the initial version they got and never update. Other times newer versions aren't even cracked at all, i think this is the case with RE4.


But you bought the game. You just cracked it for convenience and better performance. In that case it's not that different than using a mod.

Piracy is downloading any unauthorized software. Mods are authorized.

 

[Bojji]

Capcom didn't authorized the .exe distribution on Nexus.

FS4 via Opstiscaler works on Nvidia too.

You mean int8 FSR4?

 

[rodrigolfp]

You mean int8 FSR4?

Yes.

 

[nkarafo]

Piracy is downloading any unauthorized software. Mods are authorized.

Both false. Most mods are not authorized by the dev or publisher. And piracy is about "stealing" a game, meaning not paying for it. That's what pirates used to do, they would steal things from other ships. What you do with the game after you paid for it may or may not be against the TOS, but it's definitely not piracy.

 

[rodrigolfp]

Both false. Most mods are not authorized by the dev or publisher. And piracy is about "stealing" a game, meaning not paying for it. That's what pirates used to do, they would steal things from other ships. What you do with the game after you paid for it may or may not be against the TOS, but it's definitely not piracy.

Mods don't need authorization from the dev or publisher if they are not their code/software. Piracy = distributing and downloading unauthorized software, nothing to do with "stealing".

 

[drotahorror]

I suspect this is a test of the DRM in production before its implemented into Requiem

Doesn't make sense. Enigma can be cracked easily. Requiem ships with Denuvo, why test RE4 with Enigma, when/if Requiem would have Enigma it would be in a few years anyway? This is just Capcom being retarded as always when it comes to DRM.

 

[nkarafo]

Mods don't need authorization from the dev or publisher if they are not their code/software. Piracy = distributing and downloading unauthorized software, nothing to do with "stealing".

So you are saying because i used noCD cracks to be able to play the games i bought without using their discs, both for convenience and for protecting the discs themselves, i am a pirate? That's what piracy is?

I'm not actually asking, i'm just pointing out this is ridiculous. Piracy means getting a game without paying for it.

Using unauthorized files to change the way the game works is called "using unauthorized files to change the way the game works", not piracy.

 

[rodrigolfp]

So you are saying because i used noCD cracks to be able to play the games i bought without using their discs, both for convenience and for protecting the discs themselves, i am a pirate? That's what piracy is?

I'm not actually asking, i just saying this is ridiculous. Piracy means getting a game without paying for it.

Using unauthorized files to change the way the game works is called "using unauthorized files to change the way the game works", not piracy.

Yes and yes.

Getting any game or evn part of the game (the .exe only) from any unauthorized source even if you paid for the game is technically piracy.

 

[Ellis]

Definitely worse on my 5700X. not massively, but enough to bring me down to 80fps average, and not near the 100 previously. Paired with a 5060 TI 16GB 1440p + DLAA.

 

[nkarafo]

Getting any game or evn part of the game (the .exe only) from any unauthorized source even if you paid for the game is technically piracy.

I like how you use the word "technically" because you absolutely know it's not really piracy. But i don't know why you are acting so adamant about it.

 

[rodrigolfp]

I like how you use the word "technically" because you absolutely know it's not really piracy. But i don't know why you are acting so adamant about it.

It is. I use the word "technically" because in practice or "morally", doesn't really matter if you paid for the game already, but it is still software piracy by definition.

 

[nkarafo]

It is. I use the word "technically" because in practice or "morally", doesn't really matter if you paid for the game already, but it is still software piracy by definition.

There really has to be a distinction between actual piracy, meaning people who potentially do damage to sales and hurt developers and all that jazz and whatever this is.

 

[AltruisticFormality]

I suspect this is a test of the DRM in production before its implemented into Requiem

It's the same DRM that Capcom used before with multiple games.
It's become a pattern that they remove Denuvo and add Enigma.
They even added Enigma to older games like Strider and Resident Evil 5 for some stupid reason.

 

[demigod]

Wait, aren't they just testing the game with the new DRM vs one with nexus mod that no longer has Denuvo?

 

[rodrigolfp]

There really has to be a distinction between actual piracy, meaning people who potentially do damage to sales and hurt developers and all that jazz and whatever this is.

Should be but there is no distinction so far. Remember Dolphin taking a hit from Nintendo for having partial code from them? They then removed.

 

[nkarafo]

Should be but there is no distinction so far. Remember Dolphin taking a hit from Nintendo for having partial code from them? They then removed.

I don't know why this case is an example for what we were talking about.

Anyway, maybe publishers love to use the word "piracy" for everything because it's more sensational and makes everyone who don't 100% follow their rules look bad but we don't have to play along. Meaning you don't have to agree with the term, it's not an official term. Legally, there are different terms for the violations i'm talking about and yes, they are violations. But they are called "TOS violation" or whatever, not "piracy". Piracy always assumes theft, it's not the correct term in this case so you don't have to use it or agree with it and even fight me for it. You can make a distinction.

 

[demigod]

Mods don't need authorization from the dev or publisher if they are not their code/software. Piracy = distributing and downloading unauthorized software, nothing to do with "stealing".

Piracy IS stealing. You know, like what you yourself do on your PC.

Cracks are not piracy if one buys the game.

 

[Itchy Tickles]

Wait, aren't they just testing the game with the new DRM vs one with nexus mod that no longer has Denuvo?

https://www.nexusmods.com/residentevil42023/mods/5667?tab=posts

Going by the comments it just reverts to an older version and DF mispoke. I was a bit confused too, but apparently Denuvo is still there with revert mod.