Digital Terrorist: Industry Representatives Ask US Authorities to Recognize Hacker voices38 as a Major Source of Piracy Woes

The ESA made this demand.

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA), representing the interests of major companies in the gaming industry, has proposed including an anonymous Denuvo protection cracker operating under the pseudonym voices38 in the list of the most dangerous pirate resources. According to the organization, his activities play a key role in the distribution of illegal copies of games.

Each year, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) collects recommendations from copyright holders to compile a list of platforms and services associated with the distribution of pirated content. This typically includes torrent trackers, file-sharing sites, and illegal streaming platforms. In recent years, authorities have also focused on hosting providers and other intermediaries.

In its latest submission, the ESA proposed expanding this approach to include voices38 — an individual or group specializing in bypassing Denuvo protection. This technology is used by at least nine companies within the association.

According to the ESA, the r/CrackWatch index on Reddit links voices38 to about two dozen games for which protection has been cracked or bypassed. The association claims that the results of his work form the basis for further distribution of illegal copies through repacks, torrent sites, file-sharing services, and pirate forums.

The ESA is interested in identifying the operator of voices38, a desire shared by Denuvo itself. The company is already attempting to achieve a similar result through a US federal court.