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Scene Groups

A directory of known PC game scene groups — crackers, tool authors and communities that shaped the piracy landscape.

Group	Status	Type	Founded	Known For	Cracks
CODEX	Active	Cracker	2014	First consistent Denuvo cracker	640+
EMPRESS	Active	Cracker	2019	Solo modern Denuvo cracks	48+
SKIDROW	Active	Cracker	2007	High-volume releases since mid-2000s	2,100+
RELOADED	Active	Cracker	2004	Long-running releases across all genres	1,800+
CPY	Inactive	Cracker	2011	Denuvo v4/v5 breakthroughs	310+
RAZOR1911	Active	Cracker	1985	Oldest active scene group	3,400+
PROPHET	Active	Cracker	2012	Consistent Steam DRM releases	520+
PLAZA	Inactive	Cracker	2016	Indie and mid-tier catalogue	700+
HOODLUM	Inactive	Cracker	2000	EA and Ubisoft DRM defeats	430+
DEViANCE	Busted	Cracker	1995	Major AAA releases until 2004 bust	1,200+
FairLight	Inactive	Cracker	1987	Classic scene pioneer	2,600+
TiNYiSO	Inactive	Cracker	2010	Compressed releases	560+
DARKSiDERS	Inactive	Cracker	2012	Fast turnaround on Steam releases	480+
FLT	Inactive	Cracker	1992	90s/2000s classics	900+
CHRONOS	Inactive	Cracker	2007	Varied catalogue cracker	380+
FCKDRM	Inactive	Cracker	2018	GOG-aligned DRM-free advocacy	95+
Goldberg	Active	Tool Author	2018	Steam emulator used by many groups	—
cs.rin.ru	Active	Community	2003	Steam Underground forum	—

GameWatcher.net is an independent news and information website dedicated to reporting on the DRM (Digital Rights Management) protection status of PC games. Our editorial coverage encompasses DRM technologies such as Denuvo, Steam DRM and VMProtect, the activity of scene groups within the cracking community, game marketplace pricing comparisons, and video game news in general. In the same way a technology outlet reports on cybersecurity vulnerabilities without distributing malware, GameWatcher.net reports on publicly known information about DRM protection status without distributing or linking to any protected material. GameWatcher.net does not host, distribute, or link to pirated software, illegal files, torrent files, or any copyrighted material obtained without authorization. We do not provide — directly or indirectly — access to cracked games or unauthorized copies of any software, and nothing published on this website should be interpreted as an endorsement, encouragement, or facilitation of copyright infringement. On the contrary, GameWatcher.net actively encourages users to purchase games through legitimate channels: each game page includes at least one purchase link via authorized marketplaces. User-generated content is actively moderated. Any comment or post containing links to illegal downloads, pirated content, or copyrighted material is immediately removed, and the responsible user is permanently banned from the platform. In accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), connection timestamps and IP addresses of users who violate these rules are retained solely for the purpose of potential legal proceedings. All trademarks, logos, and game titles mentioned on this website are the property of their respective owners. Images and screenshots are used strictly for informational and editorial purposes, as permitted under Articles 65–70 of the Italian Copyright Law (L. 633/1941) and equivalent EU provisions on quotation and news reporting. Rights holders who believe any content on GameWatcher.net infringes their intellectual property rights are invited to send a written removal request to [email protected]; all valid requests will be reviewed and processed promptly. This website is operated in compliance with Italian law and applicable European Union regulations. Any disputes arising from the use of GameWatcher.net shall be governed by Italian law, with exclusive jurisdiction of the courts.