InZOI developer is removing Denuvo DRM from the game following player backlash
Removing Denuvo increases the risk of piracy but opens up customisation, InZOI’s director says
The studio behind The Sims challenger InZOI has confirmed that it will be removing Denuvo technology from the game.
InZOI releases on Steam Early Access on April 28, but players have been sharing concerns after a demo of the game’s Creative Studio mode was found to contain the controversial DRM.
Denuvo has been the source of controversy for some time now, as some players believe it can have an adverse effect on PC game performance. Because Denuvo is anti-tamper software, players have also expressed concern that it may affect modding and other customisation in games that support it – something particularly notable for a game like InZOI.
Now, in a statement posted on the game’s Steam page, InZOI’s director and producer Hyungjun ‘Kjun’ Kim has confirmed that the Early Access build set to release on Friday will not have Denuvo technology.
“We initially chose to implement Denuvo as a way to protect the game from illegal distribution,” Kjun explained. “At the time, we believed this would help ensure fairness for players who had properly purchased the game. However, after taking a closer look at community feedback, we quickly realized that this approach did not align with what our players wanted.
“Our initial application of Denuvo on our main development build made it so that the InZOI: Creative Studio demo build, a branch from the main build, was also applied with the same anti-tamper. Unfortunately, we failed to properly inform our players of this application during the demo period, and we sincerely apologize for that oversight.”
Kjun explained that while Denuvo was implemented to prevent piracy, he acknowledges that one of the game’s main principles is player customisation, and that by removing Denuvo the possibilities for this customisation can be increased.
“We understand that removing Denuvo increases the risk of the game being cracked and illegally distributed after release,” he said. “At the same time, we believe it opens up a valuable opportunity: it allows InZOI to become more freely configurable – unlocking new ways for players to shape new experiences for other players. We believe enabling this freedom from the very beginning will lead to innovative and long-lasting enjoyment for the community.”
“As I mentioned during the Online Showcase, we are committed to making InZOI a highly moddable game. Our first stage of official mod support will launch in May, allowing players to use tools like Maya and Blender to create custom content. But this is only the beginning. Over time, we plan to expand mod support across more areas of the game, so you can customize and enhance your experience in many different ways. With the removal of Denuvo, we hope to foster an even more open environment for modders to create and share unique experiences for other players.”
Kjun also apologised to players for “not aligning more closely with player expectations on this sensitive issue”, adding: ” We regret the concern and confusion this has caused within the community, and we’re committed to rebuilding your trust as we move forward in developing the best possible experience.”
Further reading
Earlier this week InZOI became the most wishlisted game on Steam, overtaking Hollow Knight: Silksong as the game appearing on most players’ wishlists.
VGC’s InZOI review in progress said the game was “some real competition” for The Sims, praising its realism.
“InZOI is a wonderfully detailed challenger to The Sims with extensive customisation options and some surprisingly original ideas, such as being able to create objects from photos,” we wrote.
“With a bit more personality and structure it could be a serious contender for the top spot, but at this Early Access stage it’s instead a worthwhile alternative to EA’s series.”
