Earlier we talked about the developer’s guide published by Intel on its Alder Lake processors… But digging a little deeper, a brief passage in the guide asks game developers to find out if the DRM they are using is compatible with the hybrid architecture of Alder Lake…A warning that has people talking; maybe a little too much in fact.
DRM is always a sensitive issue when there is a change in hardware configuration within the PC. In the case of Alder Lake some developers think that, some DRM equipped games are likely to be totally incompatible until they are updated. On some forums, there is a lot of excitement on the subject when in reality there is no reason to turn up the heat. Intel has stated that they are already working with DRM developers to create and distribute the updates required by Alder Lake. So the potential concern is anticipated and the majority of DRM-enabled games will support the platform at launch. The real problem should not be with AAA titles but with small independent games that are a few years old and whose DRM is rarely updated. But objectively, if you find yourself in a case like that, there would still be the option of “blowing up” the DRMs concerned…Intel seems determined to communicate very regularly with game developers as its guide shows. So DRM updates should not generate any real problems except for some exceptions. -Extract from the Intel Developer Guide FAQ “Are there any potential compatibility issues with the Data Relationship Management (DRM) middleware?” If your existing or upcoming game uses DRM middleware, you may want to contact the middleware vendor and confirm that they support hybrid architectures in general, and the upcoming Intel ADL platform in particular. Due to the nature of modern DRM algorithms, they may use processor sensing and should be aware of upcoming hybrid platforms. Intel is working with leading DRM vendors such as Denuvo to ensure that their solutions support the new platforms.
