system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: How come torrented/cracked games cannot authenticate with the online servers?

title.
gpt
Online servers normally have a system set up (think of the term "handshake") to determine if someone is supposed to be there. When you get a game, you now normally have to have a serial number or login to use it online. Downloading these from illegitimate sources will normally result in you not being able to use them online.