CODEX is saying goodbye. One of the biggest teams behind removing DRM from software is retiring after 8 years of cracking games. The group was formed in 2014, and started their career by cracking The Sims 4 DLC. They would later gain infamy in the scene by cracking games very shortly after their release date, managing to remove Denuvo DRM from Resident Evil 2 in less than a week, and cracking Middle-earth: Shadow of War on the day of its launch.

However, after years of providing thousands of cracks for various games across nearly every PC launcher and form of DRM, the group is moving on from the scene. Codex left a message in the form of a scene-traditional .NFO, stating they've achieved the goals they set out to do. In the eight years of their history, Codex managed to make around 7,300 releases, and ended their note by saying they hope to see competition in the scene again.

 

[subcon959]

Empress was allegedly Codex's denuvo cracker (various things apparently line up as well to support it). So might have just been empress all along.

Not sure about that. Empress took "donations" to crack specific games which would be a big no-no for a scene group to associate with.

 

[Wickedchew]

Let's just hope a certain fit girl doesn't retire any time soon

i think fitgirl are compression only.. from release of codex and reloaded..
really sad news

 

[smf]

You know what? Piracy is actually a form of flattery - if your stuff is good enough that people will do anything they can to get their hands on it... then you've made it to the top. Relax! Don't let these pirates scare ya!

You could make the same argument about any crime.

 

[Alexander1970]

Still no crack all around the web for SEGA Worldwide Soccer PC which makes me very sad.

Did you tried Windows 11 ? With the DRM Free Feature and Anti Piracy Game Feature it should work.

 

[console]

Very sad news. Good bye to CODEX scene teams.

I used Codex to apply for most of PC games and I play them without issues. I hate Steam and other that used DRM protection are annoy us and people then CODEX release out patch to fix games protection problems.

RIP Codex.

But still other more scene teams are up and running behind. When some scene teams are retired then I will never buy any games from Steam, etc then I would force to buy games on GOG only which is DRM free.

 

[Bladexdsl]

well plaza just cracked that shitty elden ring

 

[Vila_]

Those are just repacks, they don't add anything to the scene. And given the modern internet speeds, most people probably can download a regular release faster than they can extract the fg releases.

She doesn't release any crack tho, she just repacks what's already been cracked

Repacks. Not even the same thing. Basically still piggybacks off of someone else doing the hard part.

RIP, they'll be forgotten.

he'll not retire any time soon, and he doesn't crack he repacks the cracked games .

i think fitgirl are compression only.. from release of codex and reloaded..
really sad news

People, I know fitgirl does repacks but saying "Let's just hope a certain DARKZER0 doesn't retire any time soon" is not as funny in my opinion,

Overall I do think that after all of these cracking groups have been retiring it will be harder for fit to release it's repacks aswell wich could lead to them retiring, as someone who enjoys their work and doesn't want malware on his pc I don't want them to leave so let's just hope that doesn't happen.

Thanks for the replies though

 

[ZeroFX]

People, I know fitgirl does repacks but saying "Let's just hope a certain DARKZER0 doesn't retire any time soon" is not as funny in my opinion,

Overall I do think that after all of these cracking groups have been retiring it will be harder for fit to release it's repacks aswell wich could lead to them retiring, as someone who enjoys their work and doesn't want malware on his pc I don't want them to leave so let's just hope that doesn't happen.

Thanks for the replies though

fitgirl != cracking group
gotcha? gotcha?

 

[hyprskllz]

Heroes are never forgotten, and they'll be reborn as something else.

 

[linuxares]

Empress was allegedly Codex's denuvo cracker (various things apparently line up as well to support it). So might have just been empress all along.

Maybe, she is still active however so... maybe no need for Codex? Mr Goldberg's emulator kind of defeats a lot of steam games right?

 

[lordelan]

Did you tried Windows 11 ? With the DRM Free Feature and Anti Piracy Game Feature it should work.

Funny.

 

[Armadillo]

Not sure about that. Empress took "donations" to crack specific games which would be a big no-no for a scene group to associate with.

After leaving and going back to being "empress".

It's alledgely, but a lot of stuff lined up.

C00 (something or other, I can't remember) was empress old p2p name doing denuvo, stopped releasing, then Codex started to crack denuvo. Then Codex stopped and Empress reappeared along with a rant about scene rules/holding on to stuff.

Apparently there was something in one of her cracks and Codex's crack that point to them being done by the same person (can't find, was just a reddit post with info iirc).

Of course no proof, but would be a bit of a big conincidence that a p2p denuvo cracker suddenly appears & at the same time, Codex denuvo releases pretty much dry up.

 

[console]

I heard about fitgirl was good. But in year 2021, On Discord, someone report that fitgirl had malware appear inside package. Don't recommend fitgirl anymore. fitgirl is bad right now. Dangerous. Stay away from fitgirl.


In my experience that I know scene groups names are here:

ALiAS - good, Chinese group
ElAmigos - good, still active now
HI2U - good, not active anymore
LeeGT Games - he live in UK, not sure if he active or not
Plaza - good
Prophet - good
Reloaded - good
Razor1911 - good
SiMPLEX - good
Skidrow - good, not sure if it active or not maybe busy for a while
Walmart - good but not active anymore, don't know why


Some more list, I forget names.


I'm old member of Underground Forum and I know admins name are nosorry, gravedigger and MX. I know Moderators name are Sara, and few others (I forget list of names). Sara is woman and act very weird and quiet delete my posts without my permission. She is creepy to me! How did I find Underground forum? In about October 2007, I was search for Aveyond cracked (PC game) in google search and I joined forum there. Then I catch someone talk about warez-bb on topic on underground forum and I joined warez-bb forum in Dec 2007. Warez-bb forum was dead few years ago, then hacker stole warez-bb forum database and turn into malicious website few years ago. Don't recommend anymore. Dangerous due to malware behind it. Underground Forum was started open in year 2005. Underground Forum then was rename to Astatalk - based in Netherlands but was closed or shut down long time ago in around year 2010 - 2011. I love read a lot of topics what members are talking about many things. Underground forum do have creepy behind it. I download software upload file from "newbie user" (I don't remember what username) it and infect my old Windows XP by fake anti-virus program. Lucky, I use Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to remove nasty infect then back to normal. I never forget that Underground Forum is dangerous but gone in year 2010 - 2011 for good. Underground forum is deep website near to dark web. Don't recommend anymore and keep away from them.

I never forget from my old memories on internet when I was search for PC game. It's was scare me little bit. I almost get heart attack when some happen to my computer got infected and scare me out of it. But serious, internet is still dangerous everywhere. Please watch your kids or teens to old children what they are doing online then you must warning them to stop it!

 

[Deleted member 323844]

ElAmigos is a repacker, again, he does not crack anything.

Plaza is CODEX and Prophet is RELOADED, they were just side-groups to release complete/multi-language/GOTY releases. Since the original RELOADED releases, long time ago, were just ultra-crappy English rips.

 

[wurstpistole]

Let's just hope a certain fit girl doesn't retire any time soon

You do know that he/she/it doesn't crack games, but just repacks what's already out there, right?

 

[Plazorn]

Seeing the millions of other rom sites still available fills you with determination.

 

[Guacaholey]

I wonder if this means key resellers will be getting more popular

 

[Valwinz]

End of a Era

 

[xpoverzion]

Let's just hope a certain fit girl doesn't retire any time soon

That certain fit girl doesn't crack games. She only repacks them so people can download a smaller file size. What you meant to say is that hopefully a certain "Empress" girl doesn't retire anytime soon. Fitgirl's contribution to the piracy community is nice, but she wouldn't be missed all that much if she disappeared tomorrow.

 

[Henx]

For me I never buy games with DRM. Usually prefer GOG, but steam sometimes too.
The best response to Denuovo is to not buy games with it, simple. There are so many games out there, including oldies and emulation, that the problems becomes having the time to play them. Finding other games that suits you will be more enjoyable than to play just the latest AAA. Resist the urge to buy these games and allow yourself time to indulge in other experiences, including other genres (you might be surprised).
This goes back to the culture of always obsessing with buying the new.