The " Dying Light " series has seen a shifting battle between developers and the scene, with each major entry telling a different story of protection and its eventual removal.

This game is completely DRM-free on platforms like GOG . While it launched in 2015 with standard Steam protection, Techland has since removed more restrictive measures. It remains widely available through various "repacks" and even went free on the Epic Games Store in 2023.

Originally launched with the controversial Denuvo Anti-Tamper , the game was cracked by the scene group EMPRESS in August 2022. However, in a major win for players, Techland officially removed Denuvo from the game in early 2023, effectively making the "crack status" irrelevant for modern versions.

As of late , the status across the franchise is largely "unprotected" or bypassed, though each title took a different path to get there:

Released in late 2025, this standalone title notably launched without Denuvo . Because it relied primarily on standard Steam DRM, it was bypassed by groups like TENOKE almost immediately upon release in September 2025. Timeline of the "Dying Light" DRM Battle