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Clownfish TV: Audio Edition

Capcom Goes to WAR with Modders?!

Broadcast on:
18 Jan 2024

Capcom is seemingly at "war" with modders. The video game company is using a new DRM package to seemingly make modding much more difficult for games such as Street Fighter 6 and Resident Evil. As a result, gamers are downvoting affected games to oblivion on Steam. Is Capcom in the right, or are they going to give themselves a bigger PR black eye by cracking down on mods? ➡️ Tip Jar and Fan Support: http://ClownfishSupport.com ➡️ Official Merch Store: http://ShopClownfish.com ➡️ Official Website: http://ClownfishGaming.net Additional Context: Capcom, the video game giant known for hits like "Street Fighter" and "Resident Evil," has recently ignited a firestorm in the gaming community by implementing a new Digital Rights Management (DRM) software, Enigma Protector, in several of its PC titles. This move appears to be part of Capcom’s broader strategy to combat modding, which they have previously expressed concerns about, particularly regarding mods that are deemed offensive or could damage the company’s reputation. The controversy began when Capcom issued an unannounced update to the 2013 game "Resident Evil Revelations" on Steam. Gamers quickly discovered that this update included the Enigma Protector DRM, which is designed to prevent illegal copying, hacking, and modification of game files. However, this DRM implementation led to several issues, including frame rate drops, random crashes, and broken graphical options, negatively impacting the game’s performance and playability​​. Although Capcom later retracted the update due to these problems, stating they would re-release it once the issue is resolved, the damage had already been done. This incident sparked a wave of backlash from the gaming community, with many gamers review bombing "Resident Evil Revelations" on Steam, resulting in a significant drop in the game’s rating​​. Further investigation revealed that "Resident Evil Revelations" was not the only game affected. Other titles in Capcom’s catalog, including "Capcom Arcade Stadium," "Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium," "Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection," "Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection," "Resident Evil 5," "Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection," and "Strider (2014)," have also received updates that include the Enigma Protector DRM​​. This development has raised questions about Capcom’s stance on modding. In October 2023, during Capcom’s Open Conference Professional RE:2023, company programmer Taro Yahagi stated that "all mods are defined as cheats, except when they are officially supported," implying a strong anti-modding position. He mentioned that while many mods positively impact games, some can harm the company’s reputation and be mistaken for legitimate game features​​. However, it’s worth noting that there are differing opinions on the impact of the Enigma DRM on game performance and modding. A prominent Resident Evil modder, known as FluffyQuack, has stated that the claims about Enigma causing performance issues and blocking mods are "nonsense." FluffyQuack pointed out that Enigma has been used in other Capcom games, like "Resident Evil 5" and "Street Fighter 6," without reported performance issues or significant glitches. This modder believes that Capcom’s use of DRM is more about combating piracy and cheating rather than specifically targeting modding​​. Capcom’s recent actions regarding DRM implementation have sparked a heated debate in the gaming community. While the company aims to protect its intellectual property and maintain the integrity of its games, its approach has led to dissatisfaction among gamers and modders. This controversy highlights the delicate balance between protecting digital rights and preserving the gaming community’s creative freedom. About Us: Clownfish Gaming is Video Game News and Commentary, Gaming Let’s Plays, Animation, and more. We discuss the current video game industry and retro gaming and do gameplay videos on PC, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation as well as