Tango Gameworks’ rhythm-action hit Hi-Fi RUSH has received a PC update that strips out its controversial Denuvo software. Whether or not a player is Denuvo-skeptic, though, the update is a mandatory installation.
According to Tango’s official announcement on Steam, Denuvo is getting the axe as a means to “provide a more stable and efficient service environment.” This is in line with the widespread criticism of Denuvo in games, with many gamers decrying it as anti-consumer—degrading performance for no benefit on the player end.
Denuvo has been among the prime bogeys of gamers for some time, with its implementation in games like Sonic Mania Plus seeing mass reprisal from fans. Furthermore, Denuvo has been a particular nuisance to Hi-Fi RUSH fans, with many blaming the longstanding ‘Hibiki Crash’ (which has prevented some users from getting past the title screen) on the troublesome anti-tamper software.
As part of this removal, the game will refuse to run after January 16, 2026, 00:00 (KST) unless players download the new Denuvo-free patch.
No one mourns Denuvo
While some are lamenting the forced patch as another example of modern-gaming’s impermanence, as multiple versions of Hi-Fi RUSH will effectively be lost forever, nobody (or near-enough nobody) is sad to see Denuvo go.
In an era where the big players in AAA gaming are increasingly waging war on ownership, with most trying to insist that they only sell a ‘license’ to a game rather than the game itself, fewer players than ever care about piracy or emulation. Add to that the destructive nature of Denuvo in regard to performance, and it’s easy to see why fans only see the software as a needless hindrance.
