Hypervisor Hack Bypasses Denuvo on Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced Prior to Release

Ubisoft is facing a major security headache just hours before the official launch of its highly anticipated Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced release. As the pirate game has already been bypassed and leaked online by software pirates, oh the irony! This method completely circumvents its integrated Denuvo anti-tamper security technology, and that’s before the game is even technically out, as someone basically leaked a copy of the game… whoops.

Hypervisor Bypass

This early breach relies on what is known as a Hypervisor bypass rather than a traditional, clean code crack. Unlike standard cracks that alter the executable file directly, a Hypervisor bypass tricks the digital rights management system by running the game within a modified virtualised environment. While this allows unauthorised users to access the game immediately, it comes with significant caveats for the end user. To function, these specific bypass methods require players to actively disable core security layers within Windows. Security experts and tech enthusiasts like myself strongly advise against this method, it’s not just unsafe, it’s unlocking all the doors, opening all the windows, and flying a big banner to say the alarm is off, the good stuff is laid out in easy to carry bags, and the guard dog is busy chewing on some sausages. But, this falls on deaf ears, as HV cracks are exploding in popularity, as it does two things, allows you to play the game for free, and they’re painfully easy to use. Of course, traditional “cracks” weren’t always free from risk either, but still…

Denuvo Bypasses Versus Traditional Cracks

It is important to differentiate this method from other high-profile anti-tamper workarounds currently circulating in the scene.

• Hypervisor Bypasses: Require modifications to operating system security settings, opening up potential vulnerabilities across the entire PC system.
• Standard Scene Bypasses: Emulate ownership checks directly within the game folder. These function like a traditional crack where files are simply dropped into the installation directory without modifying the underlying operating system.
• Persistent Background Execution: Neither method actually removes Denuvo from the game files. The security software continues to run in the background, meaning any potential performance impact associated with the anti-tamper tech remains present.

Because Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced did not feature an early access tier for pre-orders, the appearance of a functional pre-release bypass heavily implies that a review copy or early retail build was used to create the workaround. Despite the software security layer being bypassed already, it’s not actually been cracked, so I doubt Ubisoft will be removing Denuvo from the title anytime soon, as it still stops all those not brave enough to risk the HV method. Still, the publisher has a long-standing track record of leaving anti-tamper tech intact on its major franchises for years after launch. PC players will simply have to hope that the implementation is well-optimised although Denuvo has improved on that front with some recent releases.

Still, if you want the legit version, it’s actually reasonably priced on Steam right now, at just £49.99 and it launches in six hours from the time of writing, and is already gaining positive reviews from gaming media. I’m eager to play it, but to be honest, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is only £26.99 right now, I’m more tempted by that.