piracy Archives

AppWizard

April 29, 2026

Denuvo has been cracked in all single-player games it previously protected — 2K Games and Denuvo reportedly retaliate with mandatory 14-day online checks

The skull-and-bones community has declared that there are no games utilizing Denuvo that remain uncracked or bypassed. The MKDev collective and DenuvOwO developed a hypervisor-based bypass (HVB) in late 2025, which intercepts Denuvo's verification checks. The cracker voices38 successfully removed Denuvo from several titles, including Resident Evil: Requiem. Denuvo has since implemented a 14-day mandatory online check for certain games, complicating the HVB method. The latest version of HVB requires users to disable Core Isolation and Driver Signature Enforcement to run games. The community includes notable figures like repacker FitGirl, who has acknowledged the collaborative efforts of DenuvOwO and voices38.

AppWizard

April 29, 2026

Denuvo is finally dead: every PC game protected by the DRM can now be cracked or bypassed

A group of hackers has declared Denuvo, a digital rights management (DRM) software, as "fully useless" after successfully bypassing its protections, which have been in place since 2014. They achieved this through two main strategies: direct cracking, which removes Denuvo from games, and hypervisor bypass, which deceives Denuvo into functioning normally. These methods have been applied to games like Crimson Desert and Resident Evil Requiem. Recently, a prominent hacker announced the release of hypervisor bypasses for EA Sports games, confirming that all games using Denuvo can now be played for free.

AppWizard

April 28, 2026

Denuvo dealt major blow as crackers claim all non-VR games with the anti-tamper have been bypassed

Every non-VR game utilizing Denuvo DRM has been successfully compromised due to the emergence of the Hypervisor bypass, a method that deceives Denuvo into believing it is functioning correctly. This technique requires users to disable Driver Signature Enforcement, raising security concerns. The CrackWatch subreddit reports that all non-VR Denuvo games have been cracked or bypassed to some degree, with Capcom's Pragmata being completely bypassed just two days before its official launch. Cracking Denuvo within the first week of a game's release can lead to revenue losses of up to 20% for developers and publishers. Irdeto is actively developing updated security versions to address the Hypervisor bypass, assuring that these measures will not compromise game performance.

TrendTechie

April 27, 2026

Суд взыскал 600 тыс руб за размещение пиратских копий “Универа” и “Физрука”

The Moscow City Court has ordered a website administrator to pay a penalty of 600,000 rubles for hosting pirated copies of television series such as "Univer," "Fizruk," and "Devushki s Makarovym." The court found that the website generated revenue through advertisements and engaged in "intentional piratical activity" by offering downloads via torrent. The administrator was also required to pay an additional 11,000 rubles in court fees. Although he attempted to appeal the ruling, he missed the deadline and the court allowed him to restore it, but the original ruling remained in effect.

AppWizard

April 26, 2026

Secret Mode removed Denuvo from STAR WARS: Galactic Racer

Secret Mode has removed Denuvo from STAR WARS: Galactic Racer ahead of its official launch. The game features high-octane races in the Outer Rim, allowing players to pilot various repulsorcraft and engage in a solo story-driven campaign as well as PvP multiplayer races. The minimum PC requirements for the game are an Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 2600, 12GB of RAM, Nvidia RTX 2060 or equivalent, and 50GB of free disk space. A specific release date has not been announced, but the game is expected to launch later this year.

AppWizard

April 22, 2026

Back in 2009, an experimental free-to-play Battlefield predicted our grim live service present: ‘It will need to be the most popular Battlefield game of all time to be profitable’

The term "free-to-play" was not common in gaming until the late 2000s, when major publishers began exploring free versions of their flagship franchises. Battlefield Heroes was a significant experiment as a PC-exclusive spin-off that marked a high-profile franchise's entry into the free-to-play model. EA's senior producer Ben Cousins described it as a substantial risk that needed unprecedented popularity to be profitable. The game featured a real-time feedback development philosophy and introduced daily challenges, which became common in the shooter genre. Initially, players could only purchase superior weapons with in-game currency, but by late 2009, EA shifted to a pay-to-win model. Battlefield Heroes had a six-year lifespan before being discontinued in 2015.

TrendTechie

April 21, 2026

Самому старому BitTorrent-трекеру The Pirate Bay исполнилось 22 года

The Pirate Bay celebrates its 22nd anniversary and continues to serve millions of users despite access-blocking attempts. When it launched, only about 10% of the global population had internet access, and content consumption was mainly offline. The oldest active torrent on The Pirate Bay is an episode of "High Chaparral" featuring Uri Geller, uploaded on March 25, 2004. The oldest active music torrent is a compilation titled Instant Hits by Gyllene Tider, and the oldest active gaming torrent is The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth. Additionally, the documentary Revolution OS, uploaded on March 31, 2004, remains available, despite the director's dissatisfaction with piracy. The oldest active torrent on the internet is a short amateur parody film, The Fanimatrix, created in September 2003.

AppWizard

April 20, 2026

This week in PC games: the “final” Molyneux game, Game Boy horror, ski resort management, and a glamcore heist sim

Returning from a holiday, the author feels invigorated and is excited to explore new PC game releases. The new games include: - Space Drilling Station: An early access vertical outpost builder set in a magma pool. - TownsFolk: A hexagonal survival strategy game focused on rebuilding a home in the wilderness. - The Third Shift: A nostalgic horror game where players patrol a museum. - Vampire Crawlers: A game combining turn-based strategy, dungeon exploration, and deckbuilding roguelite mechanics. - Legendary Pilots: A flight simulator with sepia pixel art inspired by the golden age of aviation. - Tides of Tomorrow: A "plasticpunk" game with online features for shared storytelling in a post-apocalyptic setting. - Masters of Albion: An early access god simulation game from former Lionhead and Bullfrog developers, including Peter Molyneux. - Factory 95: A factory management game set in a nostalgic Windows OS environment. - Titanium Court: A surreal strategy game for clowns and criminals. - Offering App: A violent introspective journey with minigames and hand-drawn art. - Rollick N Roll: A collection of 3D marble runs involving toy trains. - Above the Snow: A management game focused on designing hiking trails for an alpine ski resort. - Snap & Grab: A game where players, as a burglar disguised as a fashion photographer, plan heists by capturing images. The RPS team is engaged in hands-on impressions and discussions about upcoming titles, including a focus on god sims and a recurring pirate theme in games.

AppWizard

April 20, 2026

Amazon chooses nuclear option for Fire TV Sticks – no Android, no sideloading, no installing apps

Amazon will transition all future Fire TV devices to its proprietary Vega OS, which will eliminate the ability to sideload apps on Fire TV Sticks. This change aims to enhance security and reduce illegal streaming but limits user customization. The latest models, including the Fire TV Stick 4K Select and the upcoming Fire TV Stick HD, will feature Vega OS. The cloud-based system allows for seamless access to updated streaming services like Netflix and Disney+, reducing reliance on device processing power and production costs. However, it significantly reduces user autonomy by removing the option to sideload third-party applications.

AppWizard

April 17, 2026

I know all you pirates are busy with Windrose, but you should drop anchor and check out this new pirate-themed city builder

Corsair Cove is a pirate-themed city builder developed by Limbic Entertainment and published by Hooded Horse. Players manage production chains and a crew, building upwards on rugged cliffs to create factories for various goods. The game features over 50 types of goods, the ability to attract new pirate residents, and the transformation of shipwreck remains into a community. Players can equip warships to confront enemies and explore uncharted waters. Pigs play a significant role in the game, with whimsical scenes involving them. Corsair Cove is set to launch on Steam, Epic, the Microsoft Store, and PC Game Pass in 2026.