All Channels
Popular
260°

Should you be able to ‘mod’ your games console?

Which? Convo: Sony recently took legal action against a number of ‘hackers’ after they released security codes for the PlayStation 3. It says that this will enable owners to play pirated games, but is suing them the right approach?

Read Full Story >>
conversation.which.co.uk
NYC_Gamer5604d ago

its legal to mod/jail break the machine you brought

Nate-Dog5604d ago

And considering the price of most consoles like these nowadays you certainly should be allowed to do that. I don't see Sony taking action against people doing this with PSPs. (Yeah I know it's easier to do and harder to find, still counts though.)

DualConsoleOwner5604d ago

It is what people do after JBing their console.

at least 95 percent of them use it for pirating games which is very illegal.

JoySticksFTW5604d ago

I'd love to mod my PS3 just to backup games to harddrive like 360.

My 360 is whisper quiet ever since this feature was implemented, but the real benefit is less wear.

I don't want to my PS3 bluray drive to burn out

I don't even download illegal music, so I'm not even thinking about illegal games

Ryudo5604d ago (Edited 5604d ago )

Look there are a lot bigger problems then Piracy in the world, if you really want to do something to help the games industry stop buying/trading in used games.

That does a lot more damage to the pockets of the publishers you quite clearly care about.

That way they can have 4 super cars instead of just 2, Piracy and homebrew is not the enemy. People are all to quick to blindly follow the media like sheep.

Look Piracy all but stopped PC development now it's back stronger then ever, Piracy simply evolves a platform it doesn't destroy it the PC is proof of that.

less then 1 percent of the PS3 market is currently effect by Piracy as much as 50 percent is currently effected by the sale and trade in of used games yet I don't see any moral stances on that.

I honestly think the so called "moral" stances against piracy are people that don't like the fact the next person is getting free games.

All I here on N4G is Piracy is the enemy it's simply not and never was to being with, People have a serious issue of not being able to think for themselves.

There told piracy is bad and they role with it they do very little to think of the reasons behind such accusations.

Piracy is everywhere every single one of you have performed an act of Piracy at some point intentional or unintentional. And most of the people telling you piracy is morally wrong are the same people earning 10x your wage packet.

You guys seriously need to wake up, Piracy this Piracy that it's pathetic what about are basic fundamental human fucking rights. I bought the console it belongs to me I will do whatever the fuck I like with it.

bananlol5604d ago

I do believe that more games would be sold if the second hand market was terminated then if piracy wanished. Japan did that, perhaps they still do, and they got a beatable verson of battletoads so perhaps it works.

Eamon5604d ago

Hmm, one smart method Sony should take is enable the feature to install the HDD just like MS did.

It would deter the genuine people who use backup manager for legal backups away from using CFW since the console already has that feature.

Microsoft did it (most likely for that reason and because of the complaints of disc scratches) so Sony should do it too.

NoobSessions5604d ago

If it doesnt involve piracy, and inadvertently hurting devs, I dont see it why it would be an issue at all.

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 5604d ago
techie5604d ago

OK, so explain the lawsuits? Would Sony go about it if they knew they were going for an inevitable loss?

Ducky5604d ago

.... because all lawsuits by a multi-million company end in them winning? O.o

techie5604d ago

That's not true. Maybe in the US, but from what I know in the UK, it's the individuals who mostly win out.

Darkfocus5604d ago

sony doesn't even need to win they just need to outlast him and make the suit last as long as possible..... microsoft takes on suits it knows it'll lose all the time, they just wait for the guy suing them to run out of money rather than actually trying to win....

Eamon5604d ago

I think the law system isn't that under-developed nowadays so the rich can win simply by wasting time.

badz1495604d ago

oohh...real life is so not agreeing with you there. there are more cases where big corporations lose in court than winning them!

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 5604d ago
ME19895604d ago

@DualConsoleOwner

Problem isn't people buying guns. It's what people do after buying their guns.

Really that argument isn't that sound. Yes, it's true most use it to pirate games. But you can't legally stop something just because someone COULD do something illegal with it afterwards.

bodybombs5604d ago

its like saying they should sell guns because people sometimes kill people with guns

t0mmyb0y5604d ago

Its a computer. Can you mod your computer???

Tony-Red-Grave5604d ago

but hack games' online isn't nor is playing pirated games. you can mod to make it better but not to mess around with the online, which hey you don't own.

Arksine5604d ago

That ruling only applied to smartphones. It didn't even include the ipad.

In the future console jailbreaking may very well be ruled legal, but for the moment it is not.

5604d ago Replies(2)
kneon5604d ago

At the moment modding your console to bypass the security and run unauthorized software is not legal, the DMCA may yet be changed to include game consoles but right now it's still not legal.

But even if they make modding your console legal, that doesn't mean that publishing parts of the consoles software (like the root key) is legal. That is still under copyright so what geohotz did is most likely going to get him in the end.

solar5604d ago

NYC_Gamer is correct. it's a slippery slope once you tell consumers what they can/cannot do with the product they bought. consumers should not be at the mercy of the manufacturers.

Sano645604d ago

Great read, thanks for posting it

andron5604d ago

You can do whatever you like to your console, but if you take it online and mess up others game play experience then it's a different matter altogether.

+ Show (8) more repliesLast reply 5604d ago
AKA5604d ago

yessssss, i hope the ps4 is open for mods, i was reading that hackers use pc mods on the ps3 games and they kind of work but its not 100%perfect.

Darkfocus5604d ago

I think people are just disagreeing with you because of the negative stigma attached to any sort of hacking on this site...despite the fact that there's lots of good things that come from it too like mods and fan translations(all those japan only tales games will eventually get translated by fans :D)

AKA5604d ago (Edited 5604d ago )

true, like like know saw the news that you can download any psn game and dlc for free.
''i'm tempted, but i will not do it until maybe the ps4 comes out, sony owns me over $300 in sending two times my ps3 for repair, pluss a lot of save games that i lost and a sd memory card with pictures that i lost forever''
http://ps3pirata.com/topic1...

TacoTaru5604d ago

That would be fine, but when Steam type or some other strict type of DRM happens don't complain. Your copy of your game will be registered to your account. No more used game market. Maybe internet connection required to play at all. Intellectual Property must be protected somehow. It's one of those things you can't have both ways.

CrzyFooL5604d ago

Fuck yeah I wana put rims on my PS3

techie5604d ago

And spray it with a killer stripe.

Quagmire5604d ago

Lol bubs+

Thats the thing. Its alright to buy a car second hand, and its alright to mod your car, yet when it comes to buying games second hand and modding your OWN console, companies go ape-crap

Pedantic915604d ago

But if it leads to piracy, then no.
Im all for homebrew, but when you hear someone's tinkering with hardware, it's not wrong to assume it will probably lead to piracy.

Godmars2905604d ago

Still, the thing is some modders got started because of wanting to play region locked titles. That's why I did it to my SNES and PS1, but then I still bought the games legally.

And of course today those games are on PC emulators.

techie5604d ago (Edited 5604d ago )

I wonder if that's why Sony let games from any region play on the PS3 - to stop piracy. Again with the Linux - I bet it was the intention to stop the need for piracy. I bet it was just the heads of the company that got cold feet, not PlayStation folk.

Godmars2905604d ago

The Linux thing was probably a half-hearted attempt that might have lead to PS3 related home made apps.

I say half hearted because Kutaragi or Harrison were likely behind it. With neither no long at Sony anymore.

Show all comments (84)
80°

(For Southeast Asia) New Price Changes for PS5, PS5 Pro, and PlayStation Portal remote player

For Southeast Asia, new price changes.

Prices effective starting May 1st, 2026.

Read Full Story >>
blog.playstation.com
32d ago Replies(1)
BeHunted31d ago

Looks like PlayStation took a hit with Marathon and is now quietly adjusting prices worldwide to recover the losses

andy8531d ago

Lets be honest raising prices doesn't do that when no one's buying it. I imagine the profit it greater selling 10 times more at a lower price

Pergele31d ago

Whatever you say buddy, let's all wear the tinfoil hats.

IceKoldKilla31d ago (Edited 31d ago )

LMFAO Your comment alone says a lot more about you than anything else. When has one game not selling 10 million copies made a company raise the prices of their console? Then Xbox would be costing $5000 by now lol. You remind of the crazy drug addicts on the street rambling on about conspiracies. xD You sure you don't need a hug, buddy?

ChunkyMonk31d ago

One game that Sony payed $200 million for. lol
Also, you sure were quick to get triggered. Maybe your the one who needs a hug?

Eonjay31d ago

If nothing else, we should be united against the real issue here. AI and unnecessary tariffs that are effecting all gamers.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 31d ago
Athlon10131d ago (Edited 31d ago )

The price increases are due to the RAM demand associated with AI and the US-Iran war. You can look to any business news website and local news to see that. Heck, even the 2026 Asus Zenbook Duo I've been eyeing has faced delays and has had a price increase of $400; that laptop has two specs. Asus is doing a staggered release with per-orders for the lower spec now and shipping in May and pre-orders for the higher spec that I'm eyeing starting in June. Basically, all computer manufactures are affected. It'll most likely start affecting smart phones too if it hasn't already. I can't remember the last time any major console maker (Nintendo, Sony, Sega, etc) increased the price of their console mid cycle outside of Microsoft just to make more profit.

S2Killinit31d ago

Its not the war. Its the RAM issue.

jznrpg30d ago

War is causing gas prices to rise. Transport of everything requires gas so the prices of those items go up as well. So it does have an impact

Athlon10130d ago (Edited 30d ago )

The blockage of the Straight of Hormuz due to the US-Iran war has affected raw components used in semi-conductor manufacturing such as bromine, aluminum, and helium. Iran had attacked the liquified natural gas (LNG) plant in Qatar which is a large producer (1/3 globally) of helium which is used in semiconductor etching. So it's the both the war and the RAM crises.

badz14931d ago

Oh no...should I get the Pro now before the price increase?

80°

Former Xbox Exec Says Developers Didn't Want a Sony Monopoly

Former Xbox executive Ed Fries comments on the early days of Xbox, the opinion of Japanese game companies, and more.

Read Full Story >>
insider-gaming.com
44d ago Replies(2)
Reaper22_44d ago

I dont think that'll ever happen. But i must say back in the day, they were definitely trying because they were more cash rich than their competitors.

CosmicTurtle44d ago

I think MS were and still are the richer company. They tried to acquire Sega back in the day (and considered doing so again more recently), they obviously bought exclusivity to Halo which was originally shown as a Mac title. I don’t think as a company MS can claim the moral high ground here. It’s a wilful lack of self awareness.

Of course Sony would try exactly the same if they had the resources, but when the PS2 dominated the industry was in a much healthier place with an abundance of great third parties.

This has been a depressing generation as far as first party decisions are concerned. The fact we are debating business plans rather than which game is better is a sad reflection of the state of things.

Darkseeker44d ago (Edited 44d ago )

There was Nintendo as well, Sony wouldn't have had a monopoly. In fact, the world would be better today if Xbox never existed in the first place. They pretty much brought all bad practices we have today. We might have gotten all of it either way, but not this early. In term of franchises, I don't think there is anything Microsoft released that would actually be missed if it didn't exist. Even Halo the world wouldn't notice if Halo didn't exist.

S2Killinit44d ago

MS was definitely a bad influence on gaming.

raWfodog44d ago

I think almost everyone will agree that a monopoly is not good for the industry. But that being said, the competition needs to be smart and strategic with their business. Simply buying up publishers and traditional third-party studios just to keep them out of the other companies reach is not a sustainable practice. That goes for all parties so don't think I'm just referring to Xbox.

I'm no business guru by any stretch of the imagination but I firmly believe that the best way to drive consumers to your software and hardware is to invest smart in your first-party studios. Give them full support and guidance in making unique, fun games that are only available to play in your ecosystem and the gamers will come.

Reaper22_44d ago (Edited 44d ago )

But first party studios aren't enough. They only make up a small portion of the industry. Without 3rd party there would be no industry for Microsoft or sony.Developing games take time and money and sometimes you gotta make moves to stay competitive.

raWfodog44d ago

Nah, I never said first-party was enough. I said it’s the ‘best way’ to drive gamers to your platform. 3rd-party is a free-for-all and there’s no guarantee that gamers will use your hardware to play the game. If you want to push your own software and/or hardware you need first-party, or at least exclusive deals with third-party studios.

SimpleDad44d ago

They Shure did a great job... 25 years later Xbox is dead.

Reaper22_44d ago

Then why be so emotional and continue to talk about it. Xbox will never die be ause it stays in so many people's head.

lodossrage44d ago

How can you even see him being "emotional" in that comment?

If anything, you're the emotional one, constantly trying to go at anyone that says anything against Microsoft. So when you call him emotional, it comes off as deflection

Elda44d ago

I own an XBSX & I can say it's becoming irrelevant out of the 3 current consoles.

44d ago Replies(2)
Show all comments (34)
40°

Sony Shows Off 20 Minutes of Crimson Desert on a Base PS5

Sony uploaded gameplay footage of Crimson Desert on a base PS5 running in what appears to be Quality Mode at a stable 30fps at 4K.

Read Full Story >>
powerupgaming.co.uk
BlazedKong70d ago

looks god awful on the base systems