Nintendo hopes to improve Nintendo Switch game piracy with Irdeto’s tamper-resistant software suite Denuvo

In light of the prevailing ramifications of video game piracy, Nintendo seeks to address such concerns through collaboration with the online security firm Irdeto, specifically employing its anti-tamper software suite, Denuvo.

Though Nintendo proactively combats piracy, a significant number of developers and publishers have witnessed unauthorized duplications of their Nintendo Switch game content. These replicas are illicitly distributed either by mimicking the original cartridge format or through software emulation, enabling play on platforms such as PCs, Steam Deck, and Android phones.

As a countermeasure, Nintendo has chosen to collaborate with Irdeto, aspiring to harness the capabilities of Denuvo’s anti-tamper technologies. This would allow game developers to incorporate the technology during the production phase, utilizing intermediary software to deter unauthorized reproductions and illicit usage.

However, prior critiques have highlighted potential drawbacks. Games protected by Denuvo might suffer from diminished performance. Such inefficiencies have even led some developers to eventually excise Denuvo from their software to ensure optimal game performance. On another note, while Denuvo boasts protection for over 1,000 titles from piracy, numerous games, such as ‘Middle Earth: Shadow of War’, have been swiftly circumvented despite Denuvo’s protective measures.

Nevertheless, Nintendo’s partnership with Irdeto to deploy Denuvo in safeguarding Nintendo Switch games from piracy is, on balance, beneficial for developers. Yet, uncertainties remain regarding whether the costs associated with Denuvo will be absorbed by Nintendo or indirectly passed onto developers, potentially inflating the final pricing of games.