Capcom pushed an update to Resident Evil 4 Remake on PC that strips out Enigma DRM, reversing a controversial protection layer that was only added to the game about a month ago.
The removal marks an unusual U-turn for the publisher. RE4 Remake originally launched in March 2023 with Denuvo anti-tamper protection. Capcom removed Denuvo several weeks ago, only to replace it with Enigma shortly after. Now Enigma is gone too, leaving the game without any additional DRM layer.
The swift reversal likely stems from widespread player complaints. Users reported significant performance hits after Enigma was implemented, with some claiming their framerates dropped from around 90 FPS to 60–70 FPS with frequent dips into the 50s. Others said the DRM made the game unplayable on Steam Deck.
Mods took a hit as well. The Enigma implementation reportedly broke compatibility with popular modifications, including the Bezerker Mod, an extreme difficulty overhaul available on Nexus Mods. Some players resorted to downloading previous game executables to restore performance and mod functionality during Enigma’s brief tenure.
DRM and anti-tamper tools are common in AAA PC releases, designed to protect sales during the critical launch window. But adding new protection more than a year after release is highly unusual. These tools can interfere with mod loaders and memory-scanning utilities that many mods rely on, and depending on implementation, can introduce CPU overhead.
The quick addition and removal of Enigma has led some to speculate Capcom was testing the protection system on RE4 Remake‘s large player base before potentially deploying it in future titles. The game runs on Capcom’s RE Engine, which powers multiple recent releases.
Capcom has not officially commented on why Enigma was added or removed. The publisher’s patch notes rarely mention DRM changes, making it difficult to confirm the exact reasoning behind the decision.
