Capcom Enhances Resident Evil Trilogy on iOS with Online DRM

TouchArcade Rating: While updates for premium mobile ports often improve optimization or compatibility, Capcom's recent update (released an hour ago) for Resident Evil 7 biohazard, Resident Evil 4 Remake, and Resident Evil Village on iOS and iPadOS introduces an unwelcome online DRM. This DRM verifies purchase history upon game launch, checking for ownership of the game and any DLC before proceeding to the title screen. Rejecting the check closes the game. This requires an internet connection every time you launch the game, adding a delay even when resuming a saved game and completely removing offline playability. This is a significant downgrade from the previous versions which functioned offline.

Pre-update testing confirmed offline functionality. Post-update, the DRM prompt appears, and rejecting it terminates the game. While this may not bother everyone, the addition of this always-online DRM to already-purchased titles is problematic. Hopefully, Capcom will revise their purchase verification method to something less intrusive, perhaps checking less frequently. This update negatively impacts the recommendation of Capcom's premium mobile ports.

If you haven't purchased these games yet, free trials are available. You can download Resident Evil 7 biohazard on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS here. Resident Evil 4 Remake is available on the App Store here, and Resident Evil Village here. My reviews can be found here, here, and here. Do you own these three Resident Evil games on iOS, and what are your thoughts on this update?