DRM is killing the video game industry: Why it hurts gamers more than pirates.

How DRM is killing the video game industry

Digital Rights Management (DRM) was created with a simple goal: stop piracy and protect developers’ profits. But over the years, it has morphed into one of the most anti-consumer forces in gaming. What was once a shield against illegal copying has become a weapon against the very players who support the industry.

From performance-killing encryption to always-online requirements that lock players out of single-player games, DRM has spiraled out of control. Worse yet, it rarely even works—pirates crack games within days, while legitimate buyers suffer under restrictive, often broken systems.

This isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s an existential threat to gaming. DRM is eroding game preservation, turning physical media into a scam, and pushing players toward piracy out of sheer frustration. Major publishers continue to double down on these failed strategies, wasting millions on ineffective protection while driving away their most loyal customers. Meanwhile, DRM-free success stories prove that the best way to combat piracy isn’t through digital shackles—it’s by making games so good that players want to buy them.

This article will explore how DRM is harming the industry, why it fails at its core purpose, and what the future holds if publishers don’t change course.

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1. DRM punishes paying customers while pirates go free

The most glaring irony of DRM is that it primarily affects the people who actually buy games. Modern DRM solutions like Denuvo, SecuROM, and always-online requirements add layers of encryption and authentication that slow down performance, increase load times, and even cause crashes. Meanwhile, pirates strip out these protections within days, leaving cracked versions that often run better than the official releases.

Performance issues caused by DRM

Assassin’s Creed Unity (2014) – The game’s disastrous launch was partly due to Denuvo DRM, which caused severe stuttering and frame rate drops. Even after patches, players reported performance issues tied to the anti-tamper tech.

Resident Evil Village & Tekken 7 – Benchmarks showed that Denuvo increased load times by up to 30% in some cases. Once cracked, these games ran noticeably smoother.

Anno 2070 – Ubisoft’s always-online DRM meant players couldn’t launch the game without an internet connection. When servers went down, even single-player mode became inaccessible.

Pirates get a superior experience

Cracked versions of games frequently remove DRM, resulting in:

Faster load times
Fewer crashes
No internet requirements
No activation limits

This creates a perverse incentive where pirates get a better product than paying customers. If DRM’s goal is to reduce piracy, it’s failing spectacularly—instead, it’s pushing frustrated players toward illegal downloads.

2. DRM is killing game preservation

Video games are art, and like all art, they deserve to be preserved. Yet aggressive DRM is ensuring that many games will simply vanish when servers shut down or licenses expire. Unlike movies, books, or music—which can be archived and played indefinitely—DRM-locked games are at the mercy of corporate decisions.

Games already lost to DRM

PT (Silent Hills Demo) – Konami removed it from PSN, and even players who downloaded it couldn’t redownload it later. The only way to play it now is through piracy.

Batman: Arkham Origins – The multiplayer mode was permanently disabled when Warner Bros. shut down the DRM servers.

The Crew (2014) – Ubisoft announced it would delist the game entirely, making it unplayable even for owners.

The threat to single-player games

Even offline games aren’t safe:

Hitman (2016) – Required online checks for progression.

Diablo III – Initially forced always-online even for solo play.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain – Some content was locked behind Konami’s servers.

If this trend continues, future generations may never experience these games—not because they’re forgotten, but because DRM made them unplayable.

3. The scam of “physical” media in the DRM era

Physical game copies used to mean true ownership—no internet required, no risk of deletion. But publishers have found a way to gut this concept while still selling plastic boxes. The Nintendo Switch 2’s recent “Game Key Card” system is the latest example: cartridges that contain nothing but a download code.

The death of real physical games

Metal Gear Solid Master Collection (Switch) – The cartridge holds only 2GB of data, forcing a 20GB download.

Cyberpunk 2077 (PS5 “Physical” Edition) – The disc didn’t include the Phantom Liberty DLC, making it incomplete.

Nintendo Switch 2’s Upgrade Packs – Players must pay extra for enhanced versions of games they already own.

This shift means “physical” games are just DRM-locked digital copies in disguise. Players lose the ability to resell, lend, or even play their games without corporate permission.

4. DRM costs millions—and doesn’t even work

Publishers pour vast sums into DRM, believing it will curb piracy. Yet the reality is that Denuvo only delays cracks by days or weeks—and sometimes not even that. Meanwhile, the financial and reputational costs are staggering.

The high price of failed DRM

Denuvo costs US$100,000–US$250,000 per game—money that could fund better development.

Ubisoft’s DRM disasters – Assassin’s Creed Valhalla suffered performance issues tied to its encryption.

Doom Eternal’s backlash – The mandatory Bethesda.net login for single-player sparked outrage.

Instead of investing in better games, publishers waste resources on anti-consumer tech that drives players toward piracy.

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5. DRM-free success stories prove a better way exists

Some of gaming’s biggest successes avoided aggressive DRM—and thrived because of it.

Games that succeeded without DRM

The Witcher 3 – CD Projekt Red’s DRM-free approach built immense goodwill.

Minecraft – Became a cultural phenomenon without restrictive checks.

GOG.com – The entire platform thrives by selling DRM-free classics.

These examples prove that good games sell themselves—no draconian locks needed.

6. The future: Will DRM destroy gaming?

If the industry keeps pushing restrictive DRM, we face a future where:

Games vanish when companies decide.

Physical media becomes a collector’s scam.

Performance suffers for no reason.

Piracy grows as frustrated players seek better alternatives.

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What publishers should do instead

Drop always-online requirements for single-player games.
Stop selling fake “physical” editions.
Invest in fair pricing and regional accessibility.
Make games worth buying—not just harder to pirate.

The industry must change—or collapse

DRM isn’t just ineffective—it’s actively harming gaming. By alienating players, sabotaging preservation, and wasting money on broken systems, publishers are digging their own graves. The solution isn’t more restrictions—it’s better games, fairer policies, and respect for the players who keep the industry alive.

If nothing changes, DRM won’t kill piracy—it’ll kill the trust of gamers, and with it, the entire industry.

What do you think? Should DRM be abandoned, or is there a middle ground? Let us know in the comments!

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How DRM is killing the video game industry

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