DRM or no, it seems that Origins players may want to invest in a beefier-than-expected CPU to run the game smoothly. Ubisoft's promise of 'steady 30fps performance' notwithstanding, that level of CPU maximization would leave little room for the game to steadily adapt if and when scenes get more crowded or complicated, which could lead to performance dips. In any case, Ubisoft's statement suggests that the game using the 'full extent' of the CPU at those base requirement and settings levels is by design and not the result of DRM. (VMProtect and Denuvo have yet to respond to a request for comment from Ars). Those recommended requirements do suggest a relatively beefy Intel Core i7-3770 processor to run the game at 'High' video presets, though Ubisoft says a Core i5-2400 should be able to run the game at the 'Lowest' level. while ensuring a steady 30fps performance.' In a statement to Ars Technica, a Ubisoft spokesperson said bluntly that 'the anti-tamper solutions implemented in the Windows PC version of Assassin’s Creed Origins have no perceptible effect on game performance.' The spokesperson added that the game 'uses the full extent of the minimum and recommended PC system requirements. There's also a growing body of YouTube videos showing quad-core CPUs being maxed out or pushed hard while playing the game (though particular settings and CPUs used seem to affect things heavily). The game's Steam forums are full of anecdotal complaints about the game's high CPU usage, including reports of stuttering and reduced frame rates due to frequent CPU bottlenecks. It’s anti-consumer and a disgusting move.' In a Reddit thread, Voksi further detailed how breakpoint debugging of the code showed VMProtect's code being 'called non-stop' in the game's core control loop. Voksi alleges that Origins uses VMProtect's virtualization protection, which 'tank the game’s performance by 30-40%, demanding that people have a more expensive CPU to play the game properly, only because of the DRM.

As the VMProtect webpage explains, its software protects crucial game code from cracking via mutation (i.e., obfuscating code with 'garbage' commands and misdirected jumps) and virtualization (i.e., running the code in a self-contained 'non-standard' virtual machine that is harder to analyze and modify). Further Reading Denuvo’s DRM now being cracked within hours of releaseThe explosive accusation comes from noted game cracker Voksi, who tells TorrentFreak that an analysis of Origins' binaries shows the game adds a protection method called VMProtect on top of well-known (and now easily cracked) Denuvo DRM.

Assassin creed origin pc