Pirated Games Mega Thread Backup (2024)

Required Components:

You will need to install all of these before downloading any games (legitimate or pirated!) to stop games crashing due to missing software on your computer:

Related Subreddits:

Torrent Sites:

You will likely need a VPN to download torrents to avoid receiving Copyright notices from your ISP - unless, your country does not care about piracy. Read more in the VPN section further in this thread. Torrents are P2P downloads - you download from other people who have downloaded the file. No servers are involved.

Direct Download Sites:

Direct Downloads are any normal download. You download the file from a server through a web browser. It is significantly safer to download this way and you will not need a VPN. In some cases, you will need a VPN to access blocked filehost sites (e.g. ZippyShare is blocked in some EU countries). It is recommended to use a Download Manager mentioned further down the Mega Thread to help manage your downloads.

Trainers (Cheats):

Note: these are not for online games. Do not use cheats in online games!

Repacks:

Repacks are highly compressed games, designed for people with slow/limited internet bandwidth. Once you download them, you must install them on your computer which can take a long time due to file decompression.

Release Networks:

Please note, none of these sites provide downloads, only information on Scene/P2P releases. Looking to see if a game is cracked? Check here!

ROM Sites:

Emulators:

Torrent Software:

Direct Downloading Software:

Tools:

Useful Software:

For Microsoft products (Windows/Office) you can use MAS to activate them.

For Adobe products, visit monkrus.ws.

Useful Browser Extensions:

VPNs:

Tor is NOT a VPN, it will not protect you when torrenting!

Unsafe software:

  • Bittorrent - Same as Utorrent, has ads, trackers, and is unsafe.
  • Utorrent - Same as Bittorrent, has ads, trackers, and is unsafe.
  • CCleaner - Owned by Avast.
  • Avast - Notorious for collecting and selling user data.

Untrusted sites / uploaders:

  • AGFY - scam links
  • Apunkagames
  • IGG Games / PC Games Torrents - they doxxed mercs213 (owner of GoodOldDownloads), package their own DRM in indie games and exploit you for ad revenue.
  • BBRepacks - Fake BlackBox Repacks, contain malware.
  • LoadGames (clone of IGG games)
  • OceanOfGames - High malware risk.
  • nosTEAM
  • xGIROx - repacks contain bitcoin miners.
  • Seyter - repacks contain bitcoin miners.
  • SteamUnlocked / GOG Unlocked - slow downloads, malicious link redirects and uploads stolen from IGG Games.
  • cracked-games - Malware Risk.
  • crackingpatching - Malware Risk.
  • RepackGames - mislabel games and steal releases.
  • Pirate Bay - Malware Risk.
  • Kickass Torrents - Malware Risk.
  • Any site with a scene group name in the URL - SCENE GROUPS DON'T HAVE SITES!
Pirated Games Mega Thread Backup (2024)

FAQs

Can you go to jail for downloading pirated games? ›

Legal Repercussions for Pirates: Individuals caught engaging in piracy can face legal actions, including fines and, in some cases, imprisonment. This legal risk adds a further negative dimension to the impact of piracy.

What happens if you get caught playing a pirated game? ›

Answer: If you are caught with a pirated game, you may face legal proceedings initiated by the copyright holder. This can result in fines and, depending on the severity and jurisdiction, criminal charges. Additionally, you may face a ban or suspension from gaming platforms and services.

What can happen if you download pirated games? ›

Most of the Cracked Games have viruses, malware, and ransomware. If crazy pop-up ads interrupt your game, your cracked game installed a virus on your device with game software.

Does the FBI go after piracy? ›

Intellectual Property Theft/Piracy

The FBI's intellectual property investigations focus on the theft of trade secrets and copyright infringement on products that can impact people's health and safety, like counterfeit parts for cars and electronics.

Is SteamUnlocked illegal? ›

Is Steamunlocked a virus? Any downloads made from SteamUnlocked are safe to download and are checked regularly for malicious interception. It is, however, illegal to download the content, as it is pirated content that has been copied, decrypted, and given out to the community.

How are pirated games detected? ›

Answer: Common methods include serial key verification, digital rights management (DRM) systems, checksums or integrity checks, online authentication, and in-game triggers or Easter eggs that activate in pirated copies.

Has anyone been sued for pirating games? ›

Nintendo files lawsuit against two individuals for pirating Switch games, citing "substantial and irreparable harm" Nintendo of America has initiated legal actions against two individuals for allegedly distributing and selling "circumvention devices."

How much is the fine for pirating games? ›

Penalties for Piracy

Maximum penalties for misdemeanor copyright infringement are one year in prison and a $100,000 fine. Maximum penalties for felony copyright infringement generally are: Commercial advantage or private financial gain: five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

What is the safest website to download pirated games? ›

The 9 Best Game Torrent Sites in 2024
  1. FitGirl Repacks: Best overall torrent site for games. ...
  2. The Pirate Bay: Best for popular games. ...
  3. 1337X: Verified gaming torrents. ...
  4. GazelleGames: The most trusted torrents. ...
  5. CroTorrents: Best PC gaming torrents. ...
  6. GamesTorrents: Best for Spanish downloaders. ...
  7. LimeTorrents: Best for new releases.

Is it illegal to download games that are no longer sold? ›

Even if the copyright is not defended, copying of such software is still unlawful in most jurisdictions when a copyright is still in effect.

How many people play pirated games? ›

Unfortunately, the popularity of gaming also attracts bad actors looking to take advantage of the amount of money and users within the industry. Gaming piracy is on the rise. About 25% of all gamers pirated more than 50 games through the years. Piracy poses significant threats to games.

What is the most hackable game? ›

Here is what we found:
  1. GTA V: 16,296,000 Cheaters.
  2. Counter Strike: Global Offensive 988,800 Cheaters. ...
  3. Dota 2: 169,200 Cheaters. ...
  4. Among Us: 5,317,200 Cheaters. ...
  5. Call of Duty: Warzone: 762,000 Cheaters. ...
  6. Minecraft: 2,628,000 Cheaters. ...
  7. Apex Legends: 368,400 Cheaters. ...
  8. Fortnite: 939,600 Cheaters. Total Players: 350,000,000. ...
Mar 17, 2023

Has anyone gone to jail for pirating games? ›

The man who owes Nintendo $14m: Gary Bowser and gaming's most infamous piracy case. In April 2023, a 54-year-old programmer named Gary Bowser was released from prison having served 14 months of a 40-month sentence. Good behaviour reduced his time behind bars, but now his options are limited.

Is game piracy dying? ›

Piracy isn't dying in a sense that people don't want to crack games. It's less relevant now in some games because of the online requirement of the game. Single player offline games are going to get cracked every time.

Is it illegal to download pirated apps? ›

Downloading pirated software is illegal, no matter how you want to spin it.

How long can pirating get you in jail? ›

A civil lawsuit could hold you responsible for thousands of dollars in damages. Criminal charges may leave you with a felony record, accompanied by up to five years of jail time and fines up to $250,000. You may find this surprising.

What happens if you get caught illegal downloading? ›

Fines for Copyright Violations

Well, you can get caught, and if you're convicted [of willful copyright infringement], you could face a fine of up to $150,000 per infringement as well as other penalties.

Can you get fined for downloading games? ›

Current legislation only requires that an ISP notifies the customer that an illegal download has been detected from their IP address. No fine or jail time can be associated with the notice. But don't assume that you have free reign to go and torrent every piece of media you can find.

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