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Tekken 8 won't have Denuvo & the director tells fans to calm down about it

Katsuhiro Harada answered to worries that the latest game might make use of the unpopular anti-piracy software.

TJ Denzer

August 9, 2023 7:33 AM

Image via Bandai Namco

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At this point, it should be well-known that a large and loud part of the gaming community abhors Denuvo, and while it seemingly won’t be in Tekken 8, director Katsuhiro Harada finds the conversation around it to be obnoxious. He shared as much in a recent tweet, speaking to the End-User License Agreement (EULA) for Tekken 8 and allegations that Denuvo could be in the game.

Harada addressed the matter when a Twitter user tagged him in a now-deleted tweet regarding Tekken 8’s EULA, which apparently contained a part about Denuvo being included. According to Harada, much of Tekken 8’s EULA was likely copied from Tekken 7, although he couldn’t claim certainty on the matter. What he could claim certainty on was that Tekken 8 likely won’t have Denuvo. He further added some frustration about the bristling of players at the very possibility.

“I’ve no plans to introduce Denuvo or anything else in Tekken 8,” Harada said in a quote retweet. “Stop your tedious allergic reactions to every single thing and sit quietly (sit the hell down).”

It’s unmistakable that when Denuvo is mentioned, PC gamers often get riled up. The anti-piracy software has been at the core of many discussions regarding performance effects on games. There have also been instances where issues rendered some games impossible to play without a digital handshake between the software on a game and Denuvo’s servers. Resident Evil Village was one such instance where the effects were so notable that Capcom eventually removed Denuvo from the game. One could argue that the sentiment is earned, but one could also argue that the gaming community goes overboard with its reaction to the very word, “Denuvo”.

It's a sentiment that apparently gets on Harada’s nerves as Bandai Namco continues to carefully prepare Tekken 8. The game just got reveals of a new and returning character at EVO 2023, but it also seems confirmed that the game won’t have Denuvo strapped to it. PC players can seemingly take comfort in that much knowledge.

TJ Denzer

Senior News Editor

TJ Denzer is a player and writer with a passion for games that has dominated a lifetime. He found his way to the Shacknews roster in late 2019 and has worked his way to Senior News Editor since. Between news coverage, he also aides notably in livestream projects like the indie game-focused Indie-licious, the Shacknews Stimulus Games, and the Shacknews Dump. You can reach him at tj.denzer@shacknews.com and also find him on Twitter @JohnnyChugs.