How do individuals hack the hottest PC games and distribute them over the Internet for free? Is a programming language used throughout the process?

 There are several paths that can lead to success in cracking computer software or games.

The normal objective is for the game files to function independently without the original data source (e.g., CD, DVD), without the original play environment (e.g., Steam), and online without a registered account.

If the game was created without any precautions, just copying all of the original files and uploading them online is sufficient. This, The best way to crack a game or any app is APK sites I think, applies to apkeverywhere site as well as many other APK sites. You can download APK My Singing Monsters from any apk site.

If the game includes a security code. People might share their unique secret code and encourage the downloader to first switch off the internet (so the programme can't check to see whether the code has already been used).

If there is a safeguard,

These can be created by disassembling the game’s exe-file. Finding the assembly (machine code) section in the program where the key is checked and extracting the check algorithm. It would be virtually impossible to hide this code from a good cracker.

If any security check (security key, account, connecting a server, checking for available files etc. etc.) is conducted using a simple IF..THEN statement, a cracker might also just simply locate this security check and create a Crack / Patch that skips the check.

A game environment like e.g. Steam doesn’t usually add much to the game’s execution, so it might be possible to create a simplified Steam version, without any security checks that can be used to run stolen game files.

Online play, if implemented correctly, cannot be cracked (I believe!) because the server could simply keep a list of all paying customers, but if it is less secure one could “simply” pretend to be a new paying customer by filtering / changing all outgoing data. Or perhaps one could crack the software part that registers the new user.

How is it uploaded?

Filesharing websites, torrent

How do they get the money from their software purchase back?

Ad clicks, spam-ridden download websites, monetarized filesharing websites etc. etc.

Do they use a programming language?

Cracking or patching software does not require a programming language. A tool like IDA Pro can be used to access the compiled Assembly code of any exe-file and to create patches that make slight changes to the program. How to find your way through the endless lines of machine code is the *real* skill required here.

Writing a keygen can be done with any language that can program with GUI. Even Python or Visual Basic. The trick is to find out the needed key generating algorithm first.

Writing any other tool should be done with the language most suitable. But most tasks can again be accomplished with anything that can create a GUI and perhaps copy or edit some files in the game folder. If any spoofing, concurrent processing or other magic has to be done (I really don’t know much about that), a low-level language such as C or C++ would be advised.

Hope that helps you understand!

It’s fun and quick to learn the basics of cracking - but of course be VERY careful sharing whatever software you successfully cracked.