NBA 2K25 has been one of the most anticipated titles in the sports gaming community, promising major overhauls to gameplay, graphics, and player animations. However, the game's early access release on September 4 has sparked a significant amount of controversy. The unexpected inclusion of Denuvo anti-tamper software, which was not mentioned prior to early access, has raised concerns among players, especially on the Steam platform.

This revelation has come as a shock to many fans, and it is already impacting the game's reception, overshadowing many of the exciting gameplay improvements and new features that 2K had been promoting for months.

The Denuvo Controversy: What Happened?

Denuvo, a well-known Digital Rights Management (DRM) tool, is designed to prevent piracy, but it has a divisive reputation among gamers due to its alleged impact on game performance. Denuvo can sometimes cause noticeable frame rate drops, stuttering, and unnecessary strain on a PC's CPU. For NBA 2K25, the inclusion of Denuvo wasn't mentioned during the pre-release marketing campaigns, leading to outrage when early access players discovered its presence through the Steam store page.

What's particularly frustrating for players is that they were unaware of Denuvo until the game had already launched for those who pre-ordered it. According to DSOGaming, this information was only made public at the last minute. Many fans feel misled, as transparency about DRM is a critical concern for the PC gaming community, especially for those who are worried about potential performance issues.

A Recurrent Issue?

This isn't the first time 2K has included Denuvo in the NBA 2K series. Previous iterations of the game, including NBA 2K24, also featured this DRM, but the backlash seems to be stronger this time around due to the lack of transparency leading up to the release of NBA 2K25.

Players who experienced similar issues in NBA 2K24 hoped that the company might drop Denuvo or at least be upfront about its inclusion in the new game. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case, and NBA 2K25's early reviews reflect mixed reactions from players who feel blindsided by this addition.

Improvements to Gameplay and Features

Despite the controversy, NBA 2K25 does introduce several impressive next-gen features that players have been looking forward to. Among the biggest promises from the developers is the overhaul of the game's engine, which they claim is the most significant update in 15 years. The improvements to player animations and movement mechanics, coupled with the introduction of Ray Tracing on PC, have garnered praise from those focused more on gameplay than the Denuvo issue.

The return of the Auction House, which was removed from NBA 2K24, is another welcomed feature. Players were disappointed by its removal last year, and its comeback in NBA 2K25 is seen as a step in the right direction for fans of MyTeam. The Auction House allows players to trade and collect cards more effectively, adding depth to the MyTeam mode.

Additionally, NBA 2K25 has introduced two prominent WNBA stars, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, to the roster. The inclusion of more WNBA players every year has been seen as a positive move toward greater representation of women in professional basketball and sports games in general. These additions highlight the growing importance of the WNBA within the 2K franchise.

The Future of NBA 2K25 and Denuvo

As more players gain access to NBA 2K25 after its official worldwide release, it remains to be seen whether Denuvo will significantly affect performance or if the issue will fade into the background as players dive deeper into the game's new features. For now, the DRM controversy remains a hot topic on forums and social media, where players are discussing both the positives and negatives of the early access experience.

Ultimately, while NBA 2K25 has a lot of potential with its revamped gameplay and long-awaited features, the lack of transparency around Denuvo's inclusion has left a bad taste for many early adopters. How the game performs in the coming weeks—and how 2K responds to the backlash—will be critical in determining the overall success of this latest entry in the series.

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