Denuvo DRM Hit Again as Atomfall Crack Appears Despite Ongoing Lawsuit
The ongoing battle between Denuvo anti-tamper technology and game cracking groups has taken another dramatic turn. After weeks of silence, the well-known online figure using the name voices38 has reportedly returned, with Rebellion Developments’ Atomfall becoming the latest high-profile PC game to have its Denuvo protection removed.
Atomfall, released in March 2025, originally launched with Denuvo DRM, a controversial anti-tamper system often used by major publishers to protect games during their most important sales period. While Denuvo is designed to delay piracy and safeguard early revenue, it has also become a frequent target for hackers and a point of frustration for some PC players who argue that DRM can affect performance, ownership, and long-term access.
The timing of the Atomfall crack is especially notable because voices38 is currently facing legal pressure. In September, a company owned by Irdeto, the firm behind Denuvo, began legal action in a U.S. federal court. The lawsuit centers on alleged violations of the DMCA’s anti-circumvention rules and references 26 Denuvo-protected games, including major titles such as Resident Evil Requiem and Doom: The Dark Ages.
The legal effort appears to be expanding. Irdeto’s subsidiary has reportedly sought subpoenas aimed at Discord, Reddit, and Steam in an attempt to uncover information that could identify the person behind the voices38 name. The requested data may include names, addresses, IP addresses, and other account-related details. The company also believes it may have found traces connected to the individual through the cryptocurrency exchange FixedFloat.
For a while, some followers believed the legal action had forced voices38 out of the scene. After the lawsuit became public, the hacker reportedly told supporters that everything would continue as normal. However, when no further updates appeared for several weeks, speculation grew that the person may have gone quiet, been identified, or chosen to step away.
The appearance of an Atomfall crack has now changed that narrative. It suggests that, despite the ongoing lawsuit and attempts to gather identifying information, voices38 may still be active.
The case has already had an impact on others in the game-cracking community. Another group known for bypassing Denuvo protections, DenuvOwO, reportedly disbanded after news of the lawsuit emerged. One member indicated that the potential legal consequences were not worth the risk.
What makes voices38 particularly important in the DRM debate is the method involved. Some Denuvo bypasses rely on less convenient approaches, such as disabling certain Windows security features, which many users are unwilling to do. Voices38’s cracks are viewed as more significant because they do not depend on that hypervisor-based workaround, making them a bigger concern for anti-tamper developers.
The Atomfall situation has also revived questions about how long publishers should keep Denuvo in their games. Player activity for Atomfall has reportedly declined significantly since launch, leading some critics to argue that the DRM has already served its main purpose. Many publishers focus on protecting the first weeks or months after release, when sales are usually strongest, and some companies remove anti-tamper software once that window has passed.
Still, Denuvo remains widely used in the AAA gaming space. Despite criticism from parts of the PC gaming community and continued efforts by hackers to defeat it, major upcoming and recent releases continue to include the technology. Titles such as Star Wars: Galactic Racer and Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve are among the newer big-budget games reportedly launching with Denuvo protection.
For now, the fight between DRM providers and game crackers shows no sign of slowing down. Irdeto is pushing through legal channels to identify voices38, while the latest Atomfall development suggests the hacker has not been fully deterred. The outcome of this case could shape how aggressively anti-tamper companies pursue individuals in the future and how publishers decide to protect PC games after launch.
