List of warez groups

Listed here are some of the more significant warez groups from the last decades of scene history, with an introduction of when they were formed and their achievements. Between 2003 and 2009 there were 3,164 active groups according to the research of David Décary-Hétu. The majority of these groups are active for no more than two months. Only a small amount is active for many years. The warez scene is a very competitive and volatile environment. The groups are generally not driven by profit, but by reputation.^[1]

Groups

Centropy

Centropy, founded in January 1999, was a warez group which specialized in the copyright infringement of films. Touting many "0-day" and "negative day" releases, Centropy has released and pre-released numerous films.

Crackers In Action

Crackers In Action (also known as CIA),^[2] founded in 2000 by tKC,^[3] using IRC to communicate^[4][5]

CLASS

CLASS (also known as CLS) was a warez group which was the target of federal raids such as Operation Fastlink. They were a global group with members worldwide, often releasing "rip" games. The group ceased operations in 2004 after their 1,234'th release.^[6]

CODEX

CODEX (also known as CDX) – is a warez group founded in the end of January 2014. They are known for cracking the games that are using Steam authentication and also for breaking the Ubisoft DRM protection. They were accused^[7] by SKIDROW group for stealing their code to write their own emulator for the game Trials Fusion but later replied ^[8] that they wrote it on their own. Currently they're the most active warez group in the game ISO section.

CPY

CPY is an Italian warez group founded in 1999.^[9][10] They released Rise of the Tomb Raider, Inside in August 2016 under the name of CONSPIR4CY, but soon after, they have returned to their 'CPY' tag with Doom in September 2016. They became the first group to crack games protected by the latest Denuvo implementation. They are also well-known for having cracked Denuvo-protected games, such as Dragon Age: Inquisition, Lords of the Fallen, Batman: Arkham Knight, Battlefield: Hardline, FIFA 15, Mirror's Edge Catalyst, Pro Evolution Soccer 2017, God Eater Resurrection, Yesterday Origins , Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.

Deviance

DEViANCE was a release-, cracker-, and digital art-group which was active from 1999 to 2006.

DrinkOrDie

DrinkOrDie (also known as DoD) was subject to a raid in Operation Buccaneer.

Echelon

Echelon is a warez group which specializes in the release and distribution of console games, such as Dreamcast ISOs.

EViL

Released American Pie on the Internet 3 months before its theatrical release.^[11][12] They digitally branded their releases with a letter Z that appeared in the corner of the screen.^[13]

Fairlight

Fairlight (also known as FLT), One of the oldest groups in warez scene, founded in 1987. While still active, the group focuses on demos.^[14] Fairlight was subject to raid in Operation Fastlink.

Hoodlum

Hoodlum mainly focused on cracking Safedisc and Securom. They were targeted as part of the Operation Site Down raids in 2005.^[15][16]

The Dream Team

The Dream Team (also known as "TDT") were the first warez group on the IBM PC to introduce intros or "crack'tros" to their game releases. It was one of the first IBM PC groups founded 1988 in Sweden and run by Hard Core or also known as HC/TDT.

The Humble Guys

The Humble Guys (also known as THG) were the first warez group to make use of NFO files to document their releases.

HYBRID

HYBRID (also known as HBD) was founded in 1993.^[17] HYBRID later split up when the US-members founded DYNAMIX (later PRESTIGE and PARADIGM).^[18]

International Network of Crackers

International Network of Crackers (also known as INC) was one of the premier cracking/releasing warez groups for the IBM PC during the late 1980s and early 1990s. The majority of their releases during 1993 were educational games for children. By early 1994, INC had completely disappeared from the warez scene.

Kalisto

Kalisto is a console warez group established in March 1998 which specializes in the release and distribution of PlayStation and PlayStation 2 ISO images, briefly moonlighting on the Dreamcast platform in mid-to-late 2000.

Maven

In the summer of 2006, the stream of maVen releases suddenly halted. The FBI had caught Gérémi Adam, one of the key members. The 27-year-old Montreal resident has been sentenced to two and a half months in prison and was also ordered to complete 100 hours of community service. He pleaded guilty to distributing two major motion pictures: Invincible and How to Eat Fried Worms^[19][20] After the bust, releases ceased and another group called maVenssupplieR immediately took up the slack.^[21] In April 2010, the 28-year-old Gérémi Adam died of a drug overdose at the Pointe-aux-Trembles home he shared with his girlfriend, Cynthia Laporte.^[22][23][24]

mVs (Maven Supplier) released a workprint of Halloween three days before its official release on August 27, 2007.^[25]

Myth

Myth was a warez group, focused on cracking and ripping PC games. Besides ripped games, the group also released trainers and cracked updates for games.

PARADOX

PARADOX (also known as PDX) was founded in 1989, mainly cracking/release games for the Amiga. They have since spread to the PC and other consoles. They were one of the earliest groups to successfully crack Windows Vista which was supposed to be a challenge for the hackers at the time of its release.

Phrozen Crew

"The Phrozen Crew: one of the larger and more prolific Crackz groups" – PC World Magazine 1999^[26]

Phrozen Crew (PC), founded in 1993 by tKC,^[3] was one of the most popular groups of computer software crackers, with the tagline "We always get what we want!".^[27]

Pirates With Attitude

Pirates With Attitude (also known as PWA) were a major international warez release group from 1992 until 2000. The group was formed by two former INC members known by the pseudonyms Orion and Bar Manager. PWA members were raided close after the passing of the No Electronic Theft or "NET" Act.^[28]

Project X

Project X exclusively released games for the Xbox.^[29] In 2004, Project X was named as one of six groups targeted as part of Operation Fastlink by the United States Department of Justice.^[30]

PROPHET

PROPHET is a subgroup of RELOADED and is well known for distributing various Multi-Languages games which also contain latest game content such as DLCs. These are often stylized as MULTi. For example, MULTi7 means you can choose among 7 languages from installation.

Rabid Neurosis

Rabid Neurosis (RNS) was an MP3 warez release organization which was founded on June 6, 1996.^[31]

Radium

Several verses of the rap song Hackers and the Crackers by Zearle are devoted to the group Radium. In 2004, it was claimed that some of the sounds included with the Microsoft Windows XP operating system, such as WMPAUD1.WAV, were authored using an unlicensed version of Sound Forge which was supplied by Radium.^[32]

Razor 1911

Razor 1911 (also known as RZR) was founded in 1985 on the Commodore 64 but also had a major presence on the Amiga and the IBM PC. They were subject to raid in Operation Buccaneer and Operation Fastlink.

RELOADED

RELOADED (also known as RLD) was founded in June of 2004.^[33] They cracked and released Spore, 4 days before its official release date.^[34] The group is also notable for cracking Far Cry 4, days before its official release date on November 18th, 2014. They acquired the game on November 11th, due to a leak by the German Amazon.com.^[35]

Risciso

Risciso (stylized as RISCISO) was an online warez group, founded in approximately 1993, dedicated to distributing newly released copyrighted software, games and movies.

SKIDROW

SKIDROW is a well-known cracking group known for breaking the Ubisoft DRM protection within days of the games being released to the public,^[36] as well as for releasing cracked versions of games that make use of Steam authentication.^[37]

Superior Art Creations

Superior Art Creations (SAC) is an underground artscene group which caters primarily to and is well known within the warez scene.

Tristar and Red Sector Incorporated

Tristar and Red Sector, Inc. (also known as TRSI) began as an alliance between two warez groups: Tristar and Red Sector Incorporated. They were formed in 1990 as a cooperative Commodore 64 demo coding and cracking group. TRSI migrated from the Commodore 64 release platform to the Amiga and IBM-PC, and eventually branched off into the console gaming scene before finally disbanding their warez division. In late 2003, TRSI became inactive and remains so today.^[38]

United Software Association

The United Software Association (also known as USA) was a prominent IBM PC games and applications warez group during the 1990s. USA formed an alliance with the PC warez division of Fairlight which was known as "USA/FLT". In late January 1992, several members of USA were arrested by the United States Secret Service and the Farmington Hills, Michigan police for credit card fraud.

VACE

VACE was founded in September 2003, focused on cracking and ripping PC games. Besides ripped games, the group also releases trainers and cracked updates for games.

See also

• Crack intro
• Nuke (warez)
• Standard (warez)
• The Scene (miniseries)
• Topsite (warez)

References