- Final Fantasy 16 no longer has Denuvo on PC.
- The game was released in September last year, with Square Enix removing the DRM in under six months.
- Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth also launched without the service, indicating a potential shift away from Denuvo.
Final Fantasy 16 came to PC with much promise, but it failed to leave a huge mark on the platform. Amid poor performance, disappointing day-one player counts, and more, the RPG was quickly forgotten as yet another Square Enix release.
Several months later, Final Fantasy 16 has returned as the center of attention. Square Enix has now removed Denuvo from the RPG, marking a very short-lived implementation of the DRM in this particular case.
Why it matters: Denuvo ensured the RPG was protected from piracy at release. With this service gone, Square Enix seems to be throwing in the towel and accepting Final Fantasy 16 failed to make too huge a difference with its PC port.
Looking at the SteamDB page, the latest update has made many major changes to the RPG. The most notable change has been made to the exe file, which is typically a solid indication of Denuvo’s removal.
Similar changes were observed when the DRM was removed from Suicide Squad. Like Suicide Squad, Final Fantasy 16 has also been cracked following this removal, confirming that the service no longer protects the RPG.
While this sudden removal may leave some scratching their heads, it makes sense for Square Enix from a financial perspective. Final Fantasy 16 has not been the biggest hit on the platform, giving the publisher little incentive to continue licensing an expensive DRM.
Denuvo also seems to be missing from the recently released Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, so this step may be part of Square Enix’s larger plan to stop using the service for its PC ports. Still, this sudden development is quite interesting, especially considering Final Fantasy 16 arrived on PC less than six months ago.
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[Senior News Reporter]
Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than 5 years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.
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