The ongoing battle against digital rights management (DRM) took a significant turn this week with the cracking of Denuvo anti-tamper technology on Doom: The Dark Ages, a title released in May 2025. This marks the first confirmed instance of a game protected by Denuvo from that year being successfully pirated, signaling a potential shift in the effectiveness of the widely-used security measure. The development has raised concerns among game publishers, with some already preemptively bolstering their defenses.
For years, Denuvo has been a primary defense against unauthorized game copies, often delaying piracy for weeks or even months. Whereas, a series of cracks targeting Denuvo-protected titles has demonstrated increasing sophistication among piracy groups. While previous cracks existed, they often targeted older or less prominent games. The successful circumvention of Denuvo on Doom: The Dark Ages, a major release from id Software, is being viewed as a particularly noteworthy achievement.
The cracking process unfolded in two stages. In late February, a hacker known as OxZeOn released a beta 1.0 crack utilizing a hypervisor-based method. This initial workaround, however, required disabling core PC security systems, posing a substantial risk to users. More recently, a hacker using the handle voices38 announced a full crack of Denuvo using a more traditional method, eliminating the need to disable system protections. Voices38 has also indicated that Resident Evil Requiem is their next target, according to posts on Reddit.
DOOM.The.Dark.Ages-voices38
https://t.co/wJq9q9q9q9— u/voices38 (@voices38) March 13, 2026
The speed with which Doom: The Dark Ages was cracked is particularly alarming for the industry. According to reports, tools used for piracy are rapidly catching up to modern game security measures. There is a growing possibility that 2026 could see the first instances of games being cracked on the day of their release, even those protected by Denuvo. This concern was underscored by the recent decision of the developers of Crimson Desert to implement Denuvo just before launch, despite initial plans to release the game without the anti-tamper technology, as reported by TheGamer.
Interestingly, id Software has a history of removing Denuvo from its titles after a period of time. Denuvo was eventually removed from both DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal following their initial releases. As of March 14, 2026, no announcement has been made regarding the removal of Denuvo from Doom: The Dark Ages.
Doom: The Dark Ages serves as a prequel to Doom and Doom Eternal, exploring the Doom Slayer’s origins as a weaponized asset for the Maykrs and the Night Sentinels. Developed by id Software, the game launched on PC (Steam and GOG), PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in May 2025. A substantial story expansion is currently in development, though details regarding its release date remain unconfirmed. VG Times reports that developers have promised significant endgame content and a high skill ceiling for the upcoming DLC.
Voices38 has a proven track record of cracking Denuvo-protected games, including titles such as Sonic Frontiers, Anno 1800, Dead Space Remake, Sonic Colors: Ultimate, and Shin Megami Tensei 3 Nocturne HD Remaster.
The successful cracking of Doom: The Dark Ages highlights the evolving landscape of game security and the persistent challenges faced by developers in protecting their intellectual property. The industry will be closely watching to see if this trend continues and how publishers respond to the increasing effectiveness of piracy tools. The next few months will likely be critical in determining whether Denuvo can maintain its relevance as a deterrent against unauthorized game copies.
What impact will this have on future game releases and the adoption of DRM technologies? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
