: Laws like the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) make it a crime to circumvent digital rights management (DRM), even if you already own a legitimate copy of the game. Safe Ways to Access Hearts of Iron IV

: Pirated versions frequently lack access to multiplayer modes, Steam Workshop mods, and official cloud saves.

: Unofficial versions often miss critical stability patches. For example, HOI4 was updated around February 23, 2022 , to improve compatibility with the Steam Deck and SteamOS.