Rage 2 Steam hotfix removes Denuvo DRM

The latest hotfix for Rage 2 pulls the controversial Denuvo DRM from the recently released id Software and Avalanche Studios game.

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DRM is treated as a nasty term among members of the gaming community. The idea of digital rights management makes perfect sense in the context of business, but for users, DRM like Denuovo carries a reputation of being a needless pain the ass. Thankfully for Rage 2 players, the game's latest Steam hotfix has one sole purpose, and that's to remove the Denuvo DRM from the game.

For those who may be in the dark, digital rights management (DRM) software is intended to ensure that video game software only functions as intended if purchased legally. Unfortunately, the way that Denuvo functions reads like a list of all the worst features in modern gaming: Online-only requirements, obligatory game updates, and frequently, a complete inability to install or use any mods whatsoever.

Considering Rage 2's pedigree, being borne of a joint venture between Avalanche Studios and longtime PC developer id Software, many players would prefer to enjoy the game on their own terms. For whatever reason (all of the usual reasons, most likely), Denuvo was seen as a hindrance, and the developers reportedly saw a "few" requests to remove DRM from the final release. As of the latest hotfix, also known as patch version 5.16.19, Denuvo is no longer present in the Steam version of the game.

There are a few other things that have been changed in the latest hotfix. Here are the full details as provided through the Rage 2 news page over on Steam:

  • Removes Denuvo DRM (We saw a few requests.)
  • Enables Crash Reporter for error reporting
  • Fixes occasional crash related to Scaleform
  • Fixes occasional crash on startup
  • Fixes issue where Bethesda.net users would always default to English
  • Razer Chroma effects enabled by default

There's little doubt that Rage 2 players will be happy to hear that the developers have removed the Denuvo DRM in the latest Steam hotfix. Users who are increasingly wary of digital rights management software are invited to check out the Denuvo Games Steam group, which provides a list of games with Denuvo and provides more information about how it's supposed to work. For the rest of your Rage 2 needs, stop by Shacknews' Rage 2 home page.

Guides Editor

Kevin Tucker is a core component of Shacknews' powerful guide development team. For questions, concerns, tips, or to share constructive criticism, he can be reached on Twitter @dukeofgnar or through e-mail at kevin.tucker@shacknews.com.

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