Rockstar Games is a major AAA video game publisher which is behind a number of massively popular titles. But despite its impressive track record and veteran status in the gaming industry, the company was allegedly caught selling cracked versions of some of its iconic older games.

Why is Rockstar Games selling cracked games?

For those unaware, cracked games are basically a version of the title that has had its DRM (Digital Rights Management) protection removed illegally. DRM basically protects the game against piracy, so removing it allows for the illegal distribution of the video game, usually for free. Game developer and modder “__Silent_” recently spotted tags of cracking groups in the hex codes for these older Rockstar titles on Steam.

The person shared screenshots of this on X (formerly Twitter). This means that the gaming publisher either forgot to remove the DRM checks or was just too lazy to remove them despite adding it in the past. So, they decided to sell cracked copies that bypassed the DRM systems. Unfortunately, Rockstar Games has yet to acknowledge this allegation or respond to the criticism.

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The Cracked Games Rockstar is Selling on Steam

Rockstar Games was spotted selling cracked versions of its Midnight Club 2, Manhunt, and Max Payne on Steam, the most popular digital video game distribution platform.

• Max Payne follows the story of a man with nothing to lose. After having his family brutally murdered, this cop goes on a rampage and hunts down both corrupt cops and mobs from the mafia. The game is a third-person shooter which spawned two sequels thanks to its intense actions, iconic narrative, and storyline.
• Manhunt is another third-person title, which is infamous for its extremely violent combat. The game was so violent that after its release, a number of governments had outright banned its sale. This includes Australia, Germany, South Korea, and others. In this title, you take on the role of James Early Cash, a death row prisoner who is forced to participate in a series of snuff films to win your freedom by eliminating other gang members.
• Midnight Club 2 is a racing game that was released back in 2003. You become one of the most notorious street racers that take on the road in L.A., Paris, and Tokyo, taking on others with modded bikes and cars under no rules.

Who is Razor 1911?

Silent found a Razor 1911 tag on certain files and stated that using these cracks led to issues in running Manhunt and Midnight Club 2 on Windows Vista and some other Windows versions. Razor 1911 is a software cracking group that began its activities back in 1985. The group became infamous for bypassing various DRMs of video games in the early 2000s. The cracked versions also allowed gamers to play any titles without requiring the licensed game disc as well.