Stellar Blade DRM, Region Lock Fixes Before PC Launch

As the eagerly awaited PC release of Stellar Blade approaches, developer SHIFT UP has taken proactive steps to address fan concerns regarding the game's use of Denuvo (DRM) and potential region lock issues. These clarifications come at a crucial time, ensuring players are well-informed ahead of the game's launch.

Stellar Blade PC Updates

SHIFT UP Addressed DRM Concerns

With Stellar Blade gearing up for its PC debut, SHIFT UP has directly addressed the controversy surrounding Denuvo, a form of Digital Rights Management (DRM). In a recent X (formerly Twitter) post dated May 17, the developers clarified, "DRM has been hard tuned to maintain the same average frame rate, with even higher minimum frames in some cases." This statement aims to reassure players worried about performance impacts typically associated with DRM.

DRM serves as an anti-tamper technology, designed to prevent unauthorized copying and distribution of games. Despite its intent, Denuvo has often been criticized for its potential to degrade game performance. SHIFT UP has countered these concerns by sharing their performance test results, which demonstrated minimal to no difference in the game's average, minimum, maximum, 1% low, and 0.1% low framerates with and without DRM.

Moreover, SHIFT UP has confirmed that Stellar Blade will fully support mods, a feature that is often restricted in games with DRM. The community has praised the studio's openness, although some fans still hope for a version of the game without Denuvo to enhance accessibility.

Region Lock Issues

Another pressing concern for fans is the potential region lock issues linked to the PlayStation Network (PSN). Despite Stellar Blade not requiring a PSN connection, certain regions globally might still face access restrictions due to lack of PSN support in over 130 countries.

SHIFT UP is actively working on this issue, stating, "We are closely discussing the region lock issue with the publisher and are doing our best to resolve most of it as soon as possible." They have assured that both the PC and PS5 versions of the game will feature the same content, ensuring no disadvantage to early buyers through future updates.

While fans appreciate SHIFT UP's efforts to address these concerns, many still desire a DRM-free and unrestricted version of the game. Stellar Blade's PC version is slated for release on June 11 on Steam. Stay updated with the latest news and developments by checking out our dedicated article below!