So, what happens if the DRM server eventually goes down?

[DrMechano]

Serious question.

If the server that checks for the game's DRM stops responding and eventually goes down, won't Sonic Mania eventually stop working? Doesn't this effectively give the game an expiration date?

By the very nature of the game's DRM - requiring routine online connections to check your copy of the game - then the game will eventually stop working if that check is no longer performed after a set period of time. Is there any legal way to circumvent this eventuality?

Like, I don't want to pirate the game. It's a fantastic game and I want the developers to be rewarded for it. But I also am worried about a game that I paid for being rendered unplayable by the DRM server eventually going down.

[The Asgorian Bugsong]

Either the developers make patches to remove the defunct DRM from the game or the game doesn't get patched and goes the way of Darkspore (IE: Removed from steam or whatever digital store it's in, never to be played again.)

[DrMechano]

Eugh, I really hope Mania doesn't go the way of Darkspore.

[Quadsword]

In its current state, the game basically has a built-in kill switch. Once the Denuvo authentication servers go dark, your game ceases to function indefinitely. The only way you could play it at that point is if the developers patched it to remove Denuvo (unlikely to happen) or if you somehow found a way to trick Denuvo into generating an authentication key (i.e. downloading a crack).

[The Asgorian Bugsong]

Originally posted by DrMechano:

Eugh, I really hope Mania doesn't go the way of Darkspore.

Well at this rate considering the new Life is Strange just got cracked, I believe Sonic Mania getting cracked might be enough to push SEGA towards removing Denuvo. Considering that once the DRM has been busted through, there won't be much point in keeping it around considering the pirates already have their copy.

[DrMechano]

Originally posted by Agent:

In its current state, the game basically has a built-in kill switch. Once the Denuvo authentication servers go dark, your game ceases to function indefinitely. The only way you could play it at that point is if the developers patched it to remove Denuvo (unlikely to happen) or if you somehow found a way to trick Denuvo into generating an authentication key (i.e. downloading a crack).

At this point I'm worried that I'll need one just in case.

Keep in mind, I did buy and pay for my copy. But I'm worried I'll need a crack just to protect my copy of the game from expiring and losing everything.

[The Asgorian Bugsong]

Originally posted by DrMechano:

Originally posted by Agent:

In its current state, the game basically has a built-in kill switch. Once the Denuvo authentication servers go dark, your game ceases to function indefinitely. The only way you could play it at that point is if the developers patched it to remove Denuvo (unlikely to happen) or if you somehow found a way to trick Denuvo into generating an authentication key (i.e. downloading a crack).

At this point I'm worried that I'll need one just in case.

Keep in mind, I did buy and pay for my copy. But I'm worried I'll need a crack just to protect my copy of the game from expiring and losing everything.

Frankly I wouldn't worry too much about it until Denuvo actually announces they are shutting down their servers. Though feel free to worry about it if certain devs/publishers give no words on removing Denuvo from the games that still have it by that time.

[Techbane #FreeHK]

Originally posted by Agent:

In its current state, the game basically has a built-in kill switch. Once the Denuvo authentication servers go dark, your game ceases to function indefinitely. The only way you could play it at that point is if the developers patched it to remove Denuvo (unlikely to happen) or if you somehow found a way to trick Denuvo into generating an authentication key (i.e. downloading a crack).

The problem with the latter is that Denuvo authentications still come from the master server. Cracks just trick it into pinging the server without going "hey, you don't actually own this game".

At whatever future point Denuvo is phased out, all games that don't get it patched out are going the way of Darkspore, cracked or not.

[CheeseBoar]

The only reason -- the ONLY reason -- I'm not as livid about Denuvo being in this game as I was is because I found that if you run it in Linux using PlayOnLinux, you can back up your entire Wine setup and move it from one machine to another, completely offline, and it retains the Denuvo activated files, effectively making a portable version of the game. I still need to figure out why the audio is so weird in Wine, but people have gotten it running perfectly, so it's definitely possible. (EDIT: Audio fixed)

This by NO means is my way of saying that Denuvo in Sonic Mania (or any other game) is okay, though; it needs to go away permanently, out of this game and all of the others, as well. It's ridiculous that I can still play the Sonic games that are almost 30 years old without any worries, but this one could go down next year, for all we know.

[Aemony]

Originally posted by The Asgorian Ruler:

Frankly I wouldn't worry too much about it until Denuvo actually announces they are shutting down their servers. Though feel free to worry about it if certain devs/publishers give no words on removing Denuvo from the games that still have it by that time.

Pretty much this.

It's not just about Denuvo, it's also about the fact that the developers and publishers must have basically abandoned the games to their death, and being OK with the bad PR that would result in. And that gamers still care about it enough for it to matter. I can only speak for myself, but seeing how I haven't even played through my Steam library, nor do I often replay games but the top 5 of my life, I really don't see how I would care a lot. I have better things to worry about. Obviously some do though.

Darkspore relied too much on online components, which is probably why they didn't bother removing the requirement when the service went down.

I don't worry about Denuvo myself. I worry about games like Metal Gear Solid 5 and similar titles that are primarily a singleplayer title but with online components. It's much more likely that games like that, whose gameplay elements actually rely on an online connection, won't get the workhours required to patch out the requirement.

For Denuvo, all that's needed is a recompile without it and the few triggers it uses here and there in the code. It would probably take a couple of hours at most to patch out Denuvo by a single programmer.

[Aemony]

Originally posted by drm_free:

The only reason -- the ONLY reason -- I'm not as livid about Denuvo being in this game as I was is because I found that if you run it in Linux using PlayOnLinux, you can back up your entire Wine setup and move it from one machine to another, completely offline, and it retains the Denuvo activated files, effectively making a portable version of the game.

Hooooooooh, that's friggin cool! Is that option available in PlayOnLinux, or do you have to do something special to export/import it?

Also, that would mean that you could probably duplicate it as well, right? Seems that you might've found a way to enable piracy of the game. Not indefinitely, obviously, but still. I am quite intrigued of hearing of these kinds of workarounds.

[FreeWilly]

Darkspore looked like it was programmed like an mmo. The server wasn't just a simple drm check. The server streamed monster and loot data to the client even in singleplayer. A patch didn't come because it it would require rewriting the entire game from scratch.

Sonic Mania is playable with no internet, so don't expect the same thing to happen here.

[DrMechano]

So not likely, but still possible?

Mm, that doesn't make me feel good. Kinda feels like I don't actually own a permanent copy of the game, so much as a glorified rental of indeterminable time.

I mean, even if the DRM server stays up for a decade or longer, I don't expect it will last forever. And once it does go down, will Sega care enough to patch a super-old game, which Mania will be by then? This whole thing just gives me a bad feeling...

[The Asgorian Bugsong]

Originally posted by DrMechano:

So not likely, but still possible?

Mm, that doesn't make me feel good. Kinda feels like I don't actually own a permanent copy of the game, so much as a glorified rental of indeterminable time.

I mean, even if the DRM server stays up for a decade or longer, I don't expect it will last forever. And once it does go down, will Sega care enough to patch a super-old game, which Mania will be by then? This whole thing just gives me a bad feeling...

Well it depends if Sega learns not to be petty about this ♥♥♥♥, like how they were petty via sneaking in this DRM in the first place and causing all the trouble with the refunds thanks to the Sonic 1 gift.

[uberbobo]

Denuvo can be removed. Doom was cracked and it was removed from a patch. It would be up to the publisher or dev if they wanted to remove it. Its just like what happen with GFWL they had to create a patch to remove it once the service was shutdown.

[Queen HawlSera]

Originally posted by Techbane:

Originally posted by Agent:

In its current state, the game basically has a built-in kill switch. Once the Denuvo authentication servers go dark, your game ceases to function indefinitely. The only way you could play it at that point is if the developers patched it to remove Denuvo (unlikely to happen) or if you somehow found a way to trick Denuvo into generating an authentication key (i.e. downloading a crack).

The problem with the latter is that Denuvo authentications still come from the master server. Cracks just trick it into pinging the server without going "hey, you don't actually own this game".

At whatever future point Denuvo is phased out, all games that don't get it patched out are going the way of Darkspore, cracked or not.

Goodbye Dead Rising 4