Denuvo Targets Anonymous Game Cracker Through Legal Action

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Denuvo, a prominent anti-piracy technology provider owned by Irdeto, has recently filed a lawsuit against an unidentified game cracker known as ‘voices38’. The action, lodged in California, accuses the individual of circumventing Denuvo’s Anti-Tamper protection on 26 different video games, which includes notable titles like Hogwarts Legacy and Black Myth: Wukong.

Subpoena Requests to Major Platforms

To establish the identity of the defendant, Denuvo has petitioned a federal court to issue subpoenas to major online platforms, namely Discord, Valve, and Reddit. Denuvo’s initial attempts to extract user information through these companies were unfruitful; Valve and Reddit cited privacy policies that restrict data sharing without legal orders, while Discord did not respond.

Details of the Subpoenas

The subpoenas outline the specific information Denuvo seeks from each platform:

• Valve: Requested details include registration data, names, billing addresses, and transaction histories connected to seven identified Steam accounts.
• Discord: Denuvo aims to obtain comprehensive account details, including server memberships and roles associated with the user ID linked to ‘voices38’.
• Reddit: The request includes all posts, comments, and subreddit memberships related to the identified Reddit account.

Linking Cryptocurrency Transactions

Interestingly, Denuvo’s investigation extended beyond social media and gaming platforms, revealing cryptocurrency transactions attributed to ‘voices38’ on the exchange FixedFloat. The filings specify that transactions involved major cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana. However, Denuvo did not seek a subpoena against FixedFloat, and the details of how the transactions were linked to the individual remain unclear.

Court’s Decision and Future Implications

The case now waits on the decision of Judge Haywood S. Gilliam Jr. to determine if Denuvo will receive permission to pursue these subpoenas. Meanwhile, the lawsuit has already triggered visible reactions within the gaming community. Reports indicate that the group DenuvOwO, known for releasing bypasses for numerous Denuvo-protected titles, has disbanded in response to legal concerns. Conversely, the identified cracker, ‘voices38’, expressed indifference on Reddit, claiming, “All is fine. Everything will continue as normal.”

As the lawsuit progresses, its effects on the online piracy landscape remain to be seen, particularly regarding activity from ‘voices38’ and similar entities in the piracy community.