I’ve seen a few throughout my life at friend’s houses as a kid during the age of Limewire. Typically they were pretty good quality even though you’d see the odd person get up from their seat or hardcoded subtitles. Lately I’ve been curious about the history behind them and how they came to be.

Have there been well known release groups similar to the game cracking scene?

Have they always been mostly from one region?

Are they released strategically for one reason or another?

Have there been hidden methods to bust groups after a release such as steganography?

I’d be down to hear any facts about it you find interesting, stories, and if you have any articles or videos about the subject.

    • pipes@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      10·
      11 months ago

      Was about to write the same thing as your last paragraph, the “wanting to be first” aspect. But you also made me realize how Cam rips might have been an important service in the past. Today we are drowned in new web-dl stuff constantly

        • Barky@lemmy.zipEnglish
          2·
          11 months ago

          I downloaded team america world police on my computer when it came out, which ended up being a screener copy. My friend in college thought I was a hacker

      • Norah - She/They@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
        3·
        11 months ago

        In the past, I remember getting cam rips first and if they were terrible and it was a movie I wanted to enjoy, I’d stop watching and wait a few months for a DVD rip. It’s been a long time since I’ve faced that dilemma though.