Now here is a pleasant surprise. KRAFTON has just released a new update for The Callisto Protocol that removes the Denuvo anti-tamper tech from it.
The Callisto Protocol came out in December 2022. As such, it took almost a year and a half for the publisher to remove it. Still, this is good news for all those who boycotted the game due to it.
The last major update for this game came out in April 2023. That update added a Dismemberment Mode. However, at least from what I know, it did not improve its performance.
I’ve heard from some people that the game might be running better now that it no longer has Denuvo. So, I’m downloading it right now to test it. Sadly, I don’t have an extensive amount of benchmarks for it on the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D. However, I do have one at 1080p with Ray Tracing, so that’s how I’ll retest the game.
When it came out, The Callisto Protocol had major optimization issues. You see, this was one of those UE4 games that was mainly CPU single-threaded. Yes, in 2024, you can brute force your way. However, the game also had traversal stutters. So, I’m curious to see whether it still drops to 80fps on the AMD Ryzen 7950X3D.
I’ll be sure to update this article with the benchmarks. If there are major performance differences, I’ll be sure to publish a new article about it. If not, you’ll be able to find the benchmarks at the end of the article.
Stay tuned for more!
UPDATE:
The Callisto Protocol saw a 22% performance boost in minimum framerates on our main PC system. For those unaware, our main PC system is equipped with an AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D, 32GB of DDR5 at 6000Mhz, and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090. So, from 80fps, we went to 98fps. That’s at Native 1080p on Max Settings with Ray Tracing. However, our average framerates remained exactly the same (120fps).
I should note that I’m also using the latest NVIDIA drivers. For all we know, NVIDIA may have improved the game’s performance. Since Steam does not allow you to downgrade to a previous version, I can’t offer an apples-to-apples comparison. Oh, and I also noticed fewer stutters in this latest version of the game. Not only that, but the game was not hammering like crazy one CPU core/thread. Instead, it was using 4-5 CPU threads.
John is the founder and Editor in Chief at DSOGaming. He is a PC gaming fan and highly supports the modding and indie communities. Before creating DSOGaming, John worked on numerous gaming websites. While he is a die-hard PC gamer, his gaming roots can be found on consoles. John loved – and still does – the 16-bit consoles, and considers SNES to be one of the best consoles. Still, the PC platform won him over consoles. That was mainly due to 3DFX and its iconic dedicated 3D accelerator graphics card, Voodoo 2. John has also written a higher degree thesis on the “The Evolution of PC graphics cards.”
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ea and ubisoft will never remove denuvo.
keep us updated
“this is good news for all those who boycotted the game due to it.”
All those who boycotted the game will still boycott the game, except they will now play it for free.
knowing how bad it is, they propably wont.
I have downloaded it yesterday (ofc pirated), 30 mintues into it and it feels boring already. They tried to cram some sort of survival realism but that turned out to be the main problem.
When I first saw that game I got so excited. Saw that is was a new studio got excited that it would come to a DRM-Free platform. Not was I wrong. But as you remember, the launch? They saved me money by flooding it with DRM. Because I would’ve bought this on day one to support. But you put DRM in your hand and you get zero from me. Because it shows me that they only care about themselves, one-sided relationship. I’m too old for that type of foolishness.
I have more money than I know what to do with it but it will all stay in my investments and grow. Why am I saying this? Because unlike when I was younger, I can afford to buy every damn game now. But because of these types of behavior. Like my grand mother use to say, “Not giving these selfish fuqs not one red cent”.
Congratulating games that removed Denuvo is like congratulating a restaurant when their undercooked meat no longer contains salmonella.
It’s interesting this is another Korean developer with Denuvo. The easiest way to avoid Denuvo seems to be to avoid Korean and Japanese games.
That’s like saying games that have denuvo are crap/undercooked. Just because they have denuvo they are not crap, however the performance is, because that’s what a leech does. Once removed however it’s worthy of appreciation.
How do you figure this is a Korean developer? Because its not! They are the publisher, not the developer. Striking Distance is the developer. Get your sh*t straight!!!
Thinking that would boost sales is a misconception. Game was long dead.
Adding denuvo means, they can’t blame pirates 😂🤣
It didn’t help that it was Dead Space from Wish.
Eh game doesn’t look worth the hassle anyways, free or not. Dead Space series still rocking it.
Damn, I even forgot about this supposedly Dead Space successor
it succeeded into stealing the style and nothing else.
Can’t steal from yourself though.
A strong shelf life of a new game is imo 2/4 months after release… afterwards people move on to the next game that is in the release pipeline.
So implementing and keeping denuvo for about 6 months into its release is at least somewhat understandable from the companies pov.
If they REALLY want to see a decent bump up in sales post the half year mark…removing denuvo makes a whole lot of sense.
It’s not like pirates would be eagerly purchasing the game(even at a discounted price).
What you are doing by removing denuvo is somewhat “reigniting” the drive for people who were on the fence wrt purchasing the game.
Sales usually taper off 6 months after release never to pick up again.
Removing denuvo at least helps the game to gain more traction within the paying customers.
Maybe the actual management has a completely different take and data on this…could explain why even after 1+ year certain games never remove denuvo.
A strong shelf life of a new game is imo 2/4 months after release… afterwards people move on to the next game that is in the release pipeline.
So implementing and keeping denuvo for about 6 months into its release is at least somewhat understandable from the companies pov.
If they REALLY want to see a decent bump up in sales post the half year mark…removing denuvo makes a whole lot of sense.
It’s not like pirates would be eagerly purchasing the game(even at a discounted price).
What you are doing by removing denuvo is somewhat “reigniting” the drive for people who were on the fence wrt purchasing the game.
Sales usually taper off 6 months after release never to pick up again.
Removing denuvo at least helps the game to gain more traction within the paying customers.
Maybe the actual management has a completely different take and data on this…could explain why even after 1+ year certain games never remove denuvo.
Heh. Was looking at the game earlier this month on Steam spring sale and thinking about buying, but then remembered it had Denuvo. Well, now I’ll still wait for big discount and buy it.
why not pirate it? are you another zoomie who doesn’t understand the concept of files and folders?
Where from?
torrent it? they don’t deserve a cent for this copy paste abomination
Considering I work in IT as technician / System & Network admin for over a decade, I think it is safe to assume I already forgot more about “files and folders” than you will learn in your entire life, dude. I don’t steal other peoples work.
The deal has been expired. The game is flop. Dead Space 1/Remake is far far better game.
They did it right as the steam sale ended. What was the point? I sure as hell ain’t buying it. Denuvo or Steam DRM are both the same to me.
https://media1.giphy.com/media/PEKibPMhTnnldEaFxz/giphy-downsized-small.mp4
Damn straight my ole friend.
Cause you can’t afford it. Just admit it
I don’t buy DRM games. I don’t buy things I don’t own, I leave that up to the brain dead. Try harder next time.
You don’t own any digital game fam. And you’re calling me braindead? Lmao.
Speak for yourself, I own my games. You’re one of those delusionals that believes anything they tell you. Good luck with your life man, let them tell you out of your own.
Try reading a ToS you smoothbrain. You own nothing. You just get a license that can be taken away at any time.
“When you physically purchase games you run the risk of physically damaging or losing them but at least that’s entirely down to you along with the continued maintenance of your system. If you own a physical disc and keep in in good condition there’s really no reason why you shouldn’t be able to play it on a functional PC or console far into the future.
With digital titles, however, you leave yourself somewhat at the mercy of Valve, Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo. They’re not out to screw you over – and to be perfectly frank their terms and conditions of purchase are all very clear and upfront – they do potentially limit you.
When you purchase a digital game, you’re not purchasing the game – you’re essentially long-term renting a license to play it. Your license to play your downloaded games is dependent on the online store-owner and its third-party partners allowing you to do so.
This is actually true of the games you physically purchase, too, but it’s much harder for license holders to swoop into your home and search through your physical game collection than it is for them to stop you accessing it from the online storefront via your internet-connected console.”
In other words, you don’t own jack. Get schooled.
The only reason denuvo is removed is because it is subscription based and at certain point sales cannot justify the subscription. Publishers do not expect an actual effect on sales, they just want to minimize the costs for drm.
I find it very shameful that a team cannot think or create anything different, so they resort to clone their previous works to garn a little attention.
It’s just pathetic.
So what you’re saying is you love the D? Nasty bro.
And maybe, just maybe, you need to learn how to read? Cause that’s exactly what I’m talking about.
Möron!
Don’t be harsh,not everybody can concentrate and tie together a couple of easy to understand sentences these days,surrounded by technology and information yet illiteracy is getting stronger and stronger.
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
What an awesome way to call someone a fvcking dümb!
Calling people dumb, but you can barely speak English yourself. Lmao.
Comprehension – 1
You – 0
Get it together man.
Don’t get mad at me for educating you lmao
Says the guy that has created nothing.
totally forgot this game existed, The dead space clone that didn’t improve upon anything, other than ‘graphics’ that looked fine. combat absolute trash, I wonder if Schofield before he left the company he said up himself ever played Dead Space because aesthetic, weapon design and especially the health bar are definitely influences of Dead Space but the combat made me think otherwise. I get the idea he wanted to go for an cinematic approach but he and his former studio just completely missed the mark. It’s quite pathetic that because you got one game that failed that you instantly leave your own company.
It appears you never played the game AT ALL.
I’ve just finished the game yesterday + DLC.
I can 100% confirm you’re full ot it.
The game does improve fighting mechanics quite a bit from Dead Space.
Almost everything fighting-wise is more fun in Callisto compared to DS remake.
To be completely honest, Isaac is a complete moron, incapable of doing anything up-close, most of your encounters are best deal with sniper-stype. As soon as a creature gets close to you and you’re out of ammo you’re dead.
On the other hand, in Callisto protocol, close combat is actually fun and the combination of weapons + close combat really works.
I despise people that complains but never actually test things.
I’m a super fan of DS remake and I’ve must have finished DS trilogy more than a dozen times already.
I can see DS having a much deeper story and compelling atmosphere, but I am humble enough to accept that combat mechanics always lacked and that Callisto protocol, for one, made for a better combat system.
it’s an ok game, doesnt deserve as much hate as it gets.
Might give it a try if it hits gamepass or gets under $15
It was 16€ with season pass on EPIC on the Winter Sale.
you lack the IQ to pirate it?
Pirating is a low IQ activity.
Its more like I don’t care enough to pirate it but if it were to pop up in humble bundle or gamepass I may try it if there is nothing else im occupied with.
nice to see, i got the complete edition on the last sale but havent started it yet. im glad they have kept doing updates to this game unlike the DS remake which was sadly abandoned by EA.
I honestly don’t know what you expect from DS Remake, is a finished game and there is nothing to update.
Developers should be focusing their efforts on Dead Space 2 Remake now.
Well according to a lot of people online it still has quite a bit of bugs and traversal stutters. Would be great if they had fixed those issues before moving on.
So you don’t even own the game and base your claims on “according to a lot of people online”, I own the game and completed it to 100% while streaming, at maxed out settings and didn’t run into any bugs nor stuttering.
Does that mean no one will have issues? No, but is more reliable than “according to a lot of random people” with a bone to pick.
I’m glad to hear that you had a positive experience. I have a pretty large backlog and am quite picky with new additions, especially when its a game i’ve played already. I did like the original quite a bit though and am curious now to see how it will perform on my rig someday.
The medium or high lighting quality (not the RT) setting still tank the framerate in many areas.
I forgot. What is the qualitative difference among the three? I mean is Low just as good as the Med and High?
I noticed that some shadow and light effects are missing when set to low.
“Devuvo supposedly doesn’t consume any resources or negatively impact performance,” they claim. But isn’t it just a stroke of magic pixel-dust that things mysteriously improved once it was removed?
I mean, the developer/publisher and Denuvo themselves wouldn’t deceive us, right? Right? And then there’s the sad tale of the drm-dont-affect-performance-at-all shills who have nothing to gain from lying yet persist in spreading them.
“The Callisto Protocol saw a 22% performance boost in minimum framerates on our main PC system.”
@John: Did you benchmark the load-times? Thats another area that usually suffers badly due to Denuvo.
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