2K Games wants to make sure you actually own the game you’re playing, and that you aren’t trying to bypass any anti-cheating measures that have been put in place. After reports surfaced that hackers found a way to get around Denuvo’s checks entirely, it appears that 2K is working to make sure there’s no way around it.
New claims suggest that 2K and Denuvo have worked together on a response that will require mandatory online check-ins for several 2K titles.
According to the claim, first reported by Tom’s Hardware and Pirat Nation, games like NBA 2K26, NBA 2K25, and Marvel Midnight Suns will use authorization tokens. These tokens will only last for 14 days, forcing players to log in to get a new token every time. If you don’t have one, it’s said, your game simply won’t launch, even if you own a genuine copy.
“This is impossible for the HVB (hypervisor-based bypass) to emulate, as it’s a request/response call to Denuvo’s servers and thus in practice can’t be replicated,” Tom’s Hardware’s report reads. “At some point, the code that executes this check could be removed, but that requires a full game crack rather than the HBP.”
Pirat Nation adds, “The requirement is not clearly disclosed on Steam store pages, in the EULA, or at the time of purchase, meaning many buyers were unaware they would need periodic internet access even for single-player modes.”
Insider Gaming has reached out to 2K for comment on these claims and whether these new checks are permanent. Should a response be received, it will be added to this story.
What do you think of a mandatory 14-day online check-in for games from 2K and Denuvo? Leave your thoughts down in the comments and in the official Insider Gaming Discord.
In other news, read about the game director of Assassin’s Creed Hexe recently leaving the company. And for even more Insider Gaming delivered directly to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter.
Mike has been covering the gaming industry since 2012, and has reported on some of the largest events in the industry while also working as an investigative reporter. Outside of…
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