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Drive safely, pirates.

Over the last four years, a small cottage industry emerged of "pay modders"—developers who use tools like Custom Shaders Patch (CSP) encryption to lock their cars. You pay $10 on a website, and you get a key to unlock a Honda NSX or a modern F1 car.

In the pantheon of modern racing simulators, few titles have demonstrated the longevity of Kunos Simulazioni’s Assetto Corsa . Released in 2014, the game has outlived its direct sequel ( Assetto Corsa Competizione ) in terms of sheer content variety, thanks almost entirely to one thing: the modding community.

Furthermore, many new sim racers cannot afford a $500 wheel, let alone a $10 mod for a car they aren't sure they like. Pirate mods serve as a "demo." In fact, many current paying customers admit they started by pirating 50 cars, then bought the 5 they actually loved. If you are going to explore the new pirate mod scene (and let’s be honest, you’ve already Googled it to find this article), you need to know the difference between a good rip and a malicious one.

But within the sprawling modding scene—where you can download everything from a meticulously modeled Ferrari F2004 to a three-wheeled Reliant Robin—exists a chaotic underbelly. This is the domain of