How do games get cracked before release?

SpeKTrekZ · December 28, 2018

Was wondering how this is a thing? came across some videos on youtube about DRM and things like that and noticed a good deal of games are cracked before they even release. How is this even possible?

Enderman · December 28, 2018

Because often the game security system doesn't change between alpha/beta releases and the full release?

APasz · December 28, 2018

There are 3 ways generally speaking.

1st the studios servers get comprised. Which doesn't happen as often as you might think.

2nd the studio purposely leaks the source code or something to that effect.

3rd and most common is that some guy who knows a guy who knows a guy who works at the studio, "asks nicely".

LunaP0n3 · December 28, 2018

Or someone in another country that gets the game early acquires it. I believe this is what happened with Smash Ultimate.

LogicalDrm · December 28, 2018

Mostly its countries with lower average income and thus cheaper pricing on everything (and sadly lower morals on keeping contracts as is) selling/releasing games before set date. Even giving code out too early counts when most AAA games have been pre-downloaded and ready to go once codes are activated. This is how they get the game files. DRM breaking is just reverse engineering, testing etc. These people have info about how previous systems were cracked so unless there's some completely new system in place, it will rather easy to gather troops and slash it to pieces.