DRM is always a touchy subject with gamers. It’s a double-edged sword in a lot of players’ eyes. This is a means for developers and publishers to protect their games. However, it does typically come at a performance cost. But one area that fans are finding Capcom is trying to clear out is causing some frustration. It looks like Capcom’s older games are getting a new DRM update. This update is apparently a means to remove the ability to modify games. Unfortunately, some of these games are single-player experiences where fans feel that modifying shouldn’t be an issue.
Thanks to a report from VG247, we’re finding out that Capcom has now started implementing the Enigma Protector DRM. Interestingly enough, the DRM is being added to older games that have already been released into the marketplace. Typically, we see DRM added to games prior to their release. Again, the big reason behind the DRM is to prevent piracy. With the DRM, players can’t simply download the game on their PC without paying for the software. That is reasonable and good in theory, but the problem most players have with DRM is that this can hurt performance.
You might see better FPS if the game is free from DRM. Likewise, you can sometimes find games updated well after being released into the marketplace, which removes DRM. That opens up the ability to enjoy the game with better performance, but you won’t see that happen until the game has been available in the marketplace for a few years, if ever. But this new Enigma Protector DRM is striking down the ability to modify a game.
The online community has typically embraced mods for single-player games. There generally are mods that add new features to even costume changes made for a game. Capcom doesn’t appear to be fond of mods, whether they are for single-player games or not. So, this new slew of DRM updates going out could indicate that future Capcom titles will be more difficult to crack open and modify. Meanwhile, there are also reports that this new DRM addition is still causing some performance issues. But again, that is normal for most DRMs. We’ll just have to wait and see if Capcom backtracks on this DRM and their views on game mods, but right now, it’s not looking good for modders.
