According to many Reddit posts, Doom: The Dark Ages uses the controversial anti-piracy software Denuvo. One user on the Linux gaming subreddit reported encountering a black screen when enabling FSR—AMD’s upscaling and frame generation technology designed to improve visual quality and performance. While troubleshooting the issue, the user tested the game across different versions of Proton, Valve’s compatibility layer that allows Windows games to run on Linux. However, Denuvo interpreted these tests as “multiple activations” of the game and consequently locked the user out for 24 hours.
Denuvo & Doom: The Dark Ages
Doom: The Dark Ages uses Denuvo, a form of DRM (Digital Rights Management) meant to deter piracy. Denuvo tracks activations to prevent one copy of the game from being installed on too many machines — a method meant to catch piracy but often punishes legitimate users. The DRM is triggering false positives when Linux users switch Proton versions (to fix performance issues or incompatibility), treating it like a new PC. Users are being locked out for 24 hours after just a few tweaks to settings or testing configurations — even if they paid full price (or the $100 premium edition). Performance degradation (games run slower, have more stutter). Require internet access even for single-player games. Lock out paying users due to activation limits. People feel punished for being legitimate customers, especially those who use Linux — despite Valve’s major push toward making Linux gaming viable.Doom: The Dark AgesCan It Be Cracked?
Denuvo is eventually cracked on most games — but not at launch, which is when companies make most of their revenue. This “delay crack” model is Denuvo’s selling point for publishers: delay piracy during the first critical sales window. However, because it’s so difficult to crack, games with Denuvo are often targeted later than others, which is why pirates hate it — and why it’s effective from a business standpoint, even if unpopular.Thoughts Denuvo in Doom: The Dark Ages is a double-edged sword: Yes, it probably prevents early piracy, for now. But it’s alienating the very people who bought the game, especially Linux users and early access premium buyers. If you’re someone who supports Linux gaming, values performance, or dislikes invasive DRM, it’s understandable why this would make you think twice before purchasing.Would you like help finding a list of recent Doom: The Dark Ages alternatives that don’t use Denuvo and work well on Linux/Steam Deck?
How much GB is DOOM: The Dark Ages?
100 GB
DOOM: The Dark Ages on PC?
Doom the dark ages is available on multiple platforms including Xbox, PlayStation and PC.
DOOM: The Dark Ages free?
No, It costs 80 dollars.
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