DOOM Eternal Update 1.1 Removes Anti-Cheat, After Outcry

After implementing Denuvo Anti-Cheat in DOOM Eternal in Uldate 1 here in May, 2020, iD Software changed a tune. Today they announced that they'd be removing the anti-cheat technology from their game in their next PC update. This update will be released "within a week" – so said Marty Stratton, Executive Producer iD Software in a community update earlier today. Protecting the sanctity of multipleyer gameplay is important, but making single-player campaign users suffer as a result, as it turns out, isn't going to work out.

Oddly, it would appear that most of the "performance and stability issues" that appeared with Update 1 were not related to the anti-cheat features implemented with the game. Performance issues, apparently, had to do with customizable skins and "memory-related" issues. There was a bit of a VRAM allocation issue as well – that'll be reverted.

The object with the original major update with Denuvo Anti-Cheat in DOOM Eternal was the "protection" of BATTLEMODE players from cheaters. That... sorta worked. The team at iD Software also wanted to take big steps in stopping cheaters before they launched their feature update "Invasion." Invasion is a "blend of campaign and multiplayer" of sorts.

"As we examine any future of anti-cheat in DOOM Eternal, at a minimum we must consider giving campaign-only players the ability to play without anti-cheat software installed, as well as ensure the overall timing of any anti-cheat integration better aligns with player expectations around clear initiatives – like ranked or competitive play – where demand for anti-cheat is far greater," said Stratton.

So, expect a major "reversion" sort of update within the next few days, from iD Software. They'll still be working on anti-cheat fixes for the game in the future, but for now, they're dropping the axe on everything that made the game turn into a nightmare with update 1... as much as DOOM can turn into a nightmare from a nightmare.