The German digital rights management company Denuvo has filed a lawsuit against an anonymous piracy figure known as “voices38,” marking one of the most significant legal moves by the copy-protection firm to date. The complaint, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, accuses voices38 of repeatedly circumventing and publicly distributing methods to bypass Denuvo’s anti-piracy measures on major titles including Black Myth: Wukong. What makes the case notable is that it originates from Denuvo itself rather than from one of the individual game publishers whose copyrighted works were allegedly infringed.
Voice38, who operates under various handles across piracy-focused online communities, has become known for producing DRM-circumventing patches—commonly referred to as “cracks”—for games that license Denuvo’s copy protection software. Under the filing, Denuvo is pursuing claims against the defendant through the anti-circumvention provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which prohibits tampering with digital access controls and distributing tools designed to defeat them.
A Quest to Unmask an Anonymous Cracker
Although voices38 remains anonymous, Denuvo’s complaint enumerates a number of social media and gaming service accounts associated with the defendant. This detailed catalog strongly suggests that the company intends to subpoena major platforms—including Valve, Reddit, and Discord—in hopes of extracting identifying information tied to the cracker’s real identity. The tactic mirrors a recent strategy employed by Rockstar Games, which similarly sought to unmask “Cyberleek,” the individual behind numerous leaks of the highly anticipated GTA 6.
“On information and belief, Defendant is an individual who has circumvented Denuvo’s technological measures that effectively control access to copyrighted works,” the company wrote in its filing. “Defendant has further announced, posted, or disclosed online, including through Reddit, how to circumvent Denuvo’s technological measures that effectively control access to copyrighted works, facilitating or allowing others to similarly circumvent those controls and access video games without authorization.”
“On information and belief, Defendant is an individual who has circumvented Denuvo’s technological measures that effectively control access to copyrighted works. Defend[ant] has further announced, posted, or disclosed online, including through Reddit, how to circumvent Denuvo’s technological measures…”
Denuvo, court filing with the Northern District of California
The Legal Strategy Behind the Lawsuit
Denuvo’s software has long been a source of contention among gamers. Both pirates and paying customers have criticized it as invasive and potentially detrimental to system performance, though Denuvo itself maintains that its technology does not affect game performance. Despite this backlash, major publishers continue to rely on the protection as an antipiracy measure.
The firm’s legal approach echoes successful actions taken by developers and publishers against cheat makers for competitive multiplayer titles. In addition to staying ahead in the anticheat arms race, some companies have pursued cheat developers through litigation with the goal of shutting them down entirely. However, a key distinction exists: developing hacks for multiplayer games has evolved into an identifiable, profit-driven market—making those operators viable defendants—whereas piracy tends to be more diffuse and inherently less lucrative.
This reality underscores why successfully unmasking voices38 is considered the cornerstone of any successful legal action by Denuvo. Without establishing the defendant’s true identity, pursuing damages or injunctions becomes considerably more difficult.
Voice38 Dismisses the Threat
The target of the lawsuit does not appear particularly alarmed by the legal threat—or at least is choosing to project calm in public. Responding on the piracy-focused CrackWatch subreddit, voices38 wrote: “All is fine, everything will continue as normal,” a comment that suggests either genuine indifference or careful strategic composure amid mounting legal pressure.
Looking Ahead
Denuvo’s lawsuit now enters its early stages, with the immediate focus on determining whether courts will compel platforms to hand over identifying information. The outcome could set an important precedent for how copy-protection firms pursue crackers under federal copyright law. As the case develops, attention remains fixed on voices38 and whether Denuvo can transform a legal filing into a real-world identity.
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