A repack is usually a cracked release from another source that has been heavily compressed to reduce file size. They often come with a custom installer that manages the decompression process and streamlines the installation process, so you don't have to manually install patches/cracks after installation, and can skip optional content. Trusted repackers like FitGirl will also check for malware/viruses in the original crack, so you can be reasonably confident the repack is safe to install. Having said that, always take your own precautions when installing anything from the internet, i.e. virus scan and only use trusted sources.

Cracks are usually released separately from the uncracked game files. Repackers take those cracks and package them with the correct version of the game, compress the files and add an installer. Then they upload them to the more mainstream public trackers.

Repacks have several benefits. They tend to be easier to setup and usually more reliable. They download faster and use less data because they are compressed. They are also sometimes packaged with extras like soundtracks, mods, etc.

Fitgirl repacks are known to be more compressed, so the files are a little smaller but take a fair amount longer to install.

So the hierarchy generally goes like this:

• You have a game
• Then you have your patch and crack makers that circumvent the games DRM. This game and patch ingredient box is called a “release”
• Then you have your repackers like fitgirl and dodi that take a release, apply the included patch to the game, make sure everything is configured and the game runs, then compress the whole thing heavily, sometimes reducing everything by up to 50%, then break the package up into a handful of large chunks, some of those chunks being things that you might not want, making them optional to you, like the soundtrack, alternative language audio packs, etc.

Because everything is so damn compressed, a game will usually take a long time to install, because your computer is literally re-inflating the bouncy castle. A lot of people will take those install times over the download sizes of the original releases which I think clarifies most who these repackers actually serve.

They exist for people with data caps and slow internet. If you can avoid downloading languages and soundtracks you don’t want in the first place then that saves you much needed data and time. And even though installation (which is actually just decompression) takes an age, it’s still faster than terrible internet downloading twice as much.

My (limited) understanding is this:

When someone cracks a game, the end result of their work may not be accessible or easily distributable to average users. Their focus is on cracking the game, not necessarily distributing the crack.

Others like FitGirl come along, creating launchers that take care of any dependencies needed for the game, and in general making it painless to run the cracked game. In other words, they repack the cracked game in a more user-friendly packaging.

If you've seen Breaking Bad, there's a similar dynamic there. Walter may be the one making the product, but he can't distribute it alone - he needs someone to make it widely accessible, if he wants people to actually use his product.

They are great for both those with slow connections and for archival purposes

They download an existing release, and re-compress it using a very high level of compression, basically.

Firgirl repacks are a godsend. Just being able to not download the languages you don't need is amazing, all games should allow that by default. Why should I download extra 50GB of content in languages I won't use?

years ago repacks used to take videos etc out of releases to make them more friendly to people back in the dial up days

Also please please support FitGirl by donating via crypto. Send your shit coins to her so those coins can actually be useful for once.

Repacks are only useful if your internet is from third world countries, like 100Mbps

In Europe repacks are useless

Edit: apparently Germany doesn't seem to have normal speeds