Shift Up, the developer behind Stellar Blade, has confirmed that the PC version of their upcoming game will feature Denuvo anti-piracy protection. This news comes as a surprise to some, given Denuvo’s reputation for potentially impacting game performance. However, the developer has released benchmark test results comparing the game’s performance with and without Denuvo enabled.
The tests show that the average frame rate remains the same at 59.0 FPS, regardless of whether Denuvo is enabled or not. However, the minimum frame rate is significantly higher with Denuvo at 58.2 FPS, compared to 48.6 FPS without it. The maximum frame rate is also relatively unaffected, with Denuvo enabled at 60.8 FPS and disabled at 61.4 FPS. Additionally, the 1% low and 0.1% low frame rates are comparable, with Denuvo enabled at 32.8 FPS and 30.4 FPS, respectively, and disabled at 32.5 FPS and 31.7 FPS.
Performance and Features
While the test results are promising, the lack of information about the system specifications used for the tests leaves some questions unanswered. Nevertheless, Shift Up has also confirmed that Stellar Blade will support modding on PC, allowing players to customize their experience. The developer is also working to resolve region-locking issues, which currently prevent players in some countries from purchasing the game.
Furthermore, players will not need to link their PSN accounts to play the game, providing a more streamlined experience. Stellar Blade is set to release on PC on June 11.