In a stunning development that’s sent shockwaves through the digital underworld, RARBG—one of the titans of the torrent world—has bidden adieu to its legions of users, abruptly ending its fifteen-year reign.

RARBG, a site that started humbly in 2008, transformed itself into a pivotal nexus within the torrent ecosystem, a reliable hub for fresh movie and TV show releases. However, an amalgamation of reasons has now led to its unexpected downfall, signifying the end of an epoch.

RARBG was a website that provided torrent files and magnet links to facilitate peer-to-peer file sharing using the BitTorrent protocol. From 2014 to 2023 for 9 years, RARBG has repeatedly appeared in TorrentFreak’s yearly list of most visited torrent websites. It was ranked 4th as of January 2023.

A hotbed for millions of monthly visitors worldwide, RARBG was more than just a site; it served as a dynamic bridge connecting the shadowy world of Scene releases to the wider torrent-loving public.

In a heartfelt farewell message displayed prominently on the site’s homepage, the team behind RARBG explained the factors behind their unforeseen decision. The details of the site’s demise were also corroborated by an independent source well acquainted with the situation.

Among the tribulations that brought down this digital goliath were the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic. It struck a personal blow to the team, resulting in the tragic loss of team members and debilitating health complications for others. The intensifying conflict between Russia and Ukraine also inflicted its share of damage, with the RARBG team indicating that they had comrades embroiled in the war on both fronts.

The team’s message read, “The past two years have been incredibly tough. Some of us fell victim to the virus, while others continue to grapple with lingering aftereffects, making it impossible for them to work. There are also those among us who have been caught up in the war in Europe—fighting on both sides.”

The financial implications of running a behemoth like RARBG were also deemed unsustainable. Spiraling operating costs from European data centers and inflation, coupled with dwindling revenue, made the path to closure seem like the only viable option.

“With daily expenses becoming insurmountable due to inflation, we’ve reached a point where we can’t maintain this site without incurring significant out-of-pocket costs. Following a unanimous decision, we’ve determined we simply can’t continue,” the team stated, before signing off with a poignant, “We are sorry :( Bye.”

The sudden closure of RARBG not only pulls down the curtains on the site but also puts a stop to the popular RARBG releases, renowned for their superior quality and absence of CAM versions. These releases, sought-after and widely shared across other pirate platforms, were some of the most frequently downloaded content in the torrent world.

RARBG’s exit marks one of the most significant shutdowns in the history of torrent sites and the first major closure since the exodus of KickassTorrents, Torrentz, and ExtraTorrent between 2015 and 2016.

While RARBG’s void is likely to spawn a host of imitators keen on appropriating the brand, the original—much to the disappointment of its global following—is no more.

For those not in the know, a torrent site is a web portal where users can download, share, and search for torrent files. Torrent files are small metadata files used by a protocol known as BitTorrent to facilitate peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing.

This method of file distribution is distinctive because it breaks down large files into smaller pieces, which are then distributed among the users, or “peers,” who are downloading that file. This decentralized manner of sharing content can enable faster and more reliable downloads, as files are not coming from a single source but multiple sources at once.

Users need a BitTorrent client software to read the torrent file and connect to other users to download and upload the actual data. Examples of such software include uTorrent, BitTorrent, and qBittorrent.

While torrenting in and of itself is not illegal, it has gained a controversial reputation due to its widespread use in distributing copyrighted material without permission. Torrent sites often become a hub for such activities, housing millions of torrent files for movies, music, software, games, and more. This has led to numerous legal battles and the shutdown of many torrent sites over the years due to copyright infringement.