Stellar Blade DRM, Region Lock Resolved Before PC Launch

Stellar Blade's developer, SHIFT UP, has tackled fan concerns regarding DRM and region lock issues ahead of the game's PC release. Dive in to understand how these factors might impact your gaming experience and what measures are being taken to address them.

Stellar Blade PC Updates

SHIFT UP Addressed DRM Concerns

Stellar Blade is gearing up for its PC debut, and SHIFT UP has been proactive in addressing fan worries about the inclusion of Denuvo, a form of DRM. On May 17, via a Twitter (X) post, they assured players that "DRM has been finely tuned to maintain the same average frame rate, with even higher minimum frames in some cases."

Denuvo, an anti-tamper technology, aims to prevent unauthorized copying and distribution, which can be a double-edged sword. While it's designed to curb piracy, it's often criticized for potentially impacting game performance. However, SHIFT UP's testing results show that the game's performance metrics—with and without DRM—remain virtually identical across average, minimum, and maximum frame rates, as well as 1% and 0.1% low frame rates.

Furthermore, SHIFT UP highlighted that Stellar Blade fully supports mods without any restrictions, a common concern with DRM-protected games. The community has praised the studio for their openness, though some fans still hope for a DRM-free version to enhance the game's accessibility.

Region Lock Issues

Another point of contention is the region lock issue linked to PlayStation Network (PSN) restrictions. Although Stellar Blade doesn't require a PSN connection, over 130 countries unsupported by PSN will still face access limitations.

SHIFT UP is actively working on this, stating they 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've committed to ensuring that both PC and PS5 versions deliver identical content, so early buyers won't be disadvantaged by future updates.

While fans appreciate SHIFT UP's efforts to address these concerns, many still wish for a game free from DRM and PSN-related restrictions. Stellar Blade's PC version is slated for release on June 11 on Steam. Stay tuned for further updates by checking our article below!