It’s fair to say that over the last few years, Sony hasn’t stood still when it comes to the development of the PS5. On several occasions since the console’s launch in November 2020, tweaks to its software have subsequently been made by the publisher. This has resulted in owners getting access to features like VRR and 1440p support, to name just two prominent examples. At the same time, though, several modders have been playing around with its software behind the scenes as well.
When it comes to pieces of modern technology, it’s normally only a matter of time before most are "jailbroken" by a modder after they’re released to the public. What’s remarkable about the PS5’s own jailbreak, however, is the fact that it’s happened before Sony’s console has even celebrated its second anniversary. The process, which involves a person reverse-engineering closed hardware and opening it up to customization, will likely have a significant impact on the rest of the console’s lifecycle.
PS5 Homebrews
Although the process of jailbreaking can be complicated, the rationale behind the concept is more straightforward. One of the biggest reasons why modders break open technology, in particular, is so that they can install software on hardware that would normally be incompatible with each other. Known as “homebrews”, the term is commonly applied to apps and programs. When it comes to gaming specifically, this type of modding has resulted in titles like Doom showing up in places that they weren’t meant to.
Players only have to look at what the PS5’s modders have done since they finished their first jailbreak for similar evidence of this in action. Having opened up Sony’s console, one modder called Lance MacDonald has installed P.T. on their PS5 via a USB stick. Back in early 2015, Konami removed the demo from the PlayStation Network following the cancelation of Silent Hills. Ensuring that it was inaccessible to anyone who hadn’t previously downloaded it.
As it stands right now, though, the PS5’s jailbreak is far from the finished article. Beyond needing a console with already outdated firmware to start the process, modders are still having problems actually running software like the Silent Hills demo once it’s been opened up. This means the PS5’s status quo is likely going to continue for some time to come while they continue to tinker. However, all of this homebrew development is likely heading in only one direction.
Now that the PS5 has been cracked, other pieces of homebrew software will probably be added into the mix by modders. If the PS4 is any indication, software that enables everything from custom game patches to Linux support will show up online soon. History also shows it’s not out of the question that emulators that allow Steam and mobile games to be played on a PS5 will become a possibility too. In the past, console games from Nintendo and Microsoft have also become available on PlayStation hardware through similar means.
PS5 Piracy
As a result of the PS5’s jailbreak and the homebrew software it’s likely going to help create, the presence of pirates on the console will eventually become an issue that Sony has to address. As has become the case with every other jailbroken console, certain sites on the internet will eventually begin offering downloads of the games that are available in the PS5’s library. Thanks to the fact that the console’s hardware will be wide open at that point, the piracy situation won’t necessarily stop there, either.
At some point in the future, there’s a decent chance that people will be able to buy USB sticks off the internet with games preloaded onto them as well. Players only have to look at Sony’s own PlayStation Classic for a recent example of this phenomenon in action. Via those sticks, owners of the mini console were able to play pirated games from across the PS1’s library. Emulators in that circumstance also allowed for the piracy of Gameboy and N64 games, demonstrating how far the PS5’s jailbreak could be felt across the gaming industry.
It’s important to remember that jailbreaking is a morally complicated subject, primarily because the concept and the piracy it enables are considered to be illegal in most parts of the world. Publishers and developers lose out monetarily, which can in some circumstances impact prices and the number of projects that are put into production. Even though a compelling argument can be made for gaming preservation benefits that piracy enables, as more titles are simply lost to time each year, Sony and other regulatory bodies will likely take a dim view of the modders and their jailbreaks.
Sony’s Response
One important element in the PS5’s jailbreak story that shouldn’t be understated is the response that Sony will likely have to it. Even though the process is still in its infancy and therefore prone to teething issues, it’s hard to imagine the publisher hanging around to take action against the modders. As a result of this, most console owners will likely experience elements of Sony’s response even if they have no plans to jailbreak their own PS5s.
For starters, based on how the PS3 and PS4 were jailbroken, it’s highly likely that Sony will push a new firmware update to its current console at the first available opportunity. Even though the current PS5 jailbreak only works on outdated firmware, the publisher will want to put extra distance between the console and its modders. Instead of focusing on new features, it stands to reason that a significant portion of the console’s development will now be realigned along these lines to counter the jailbreak.
The fact that the jailbreak has gotten off the ground so quickly means it’s only a matter of time before the PS5 is opened up even further. This means in general, owners of Sony’s current-generation console could experience more patches and firmware updates being pushed to them at an increased frequency. Similarly to the PS3’s infamous patches that added little in the way of obvious progress on a regular basis.
Although there are benefits to having a jailbroken PS5 from a consumer perspective, it’s hard to imagine Sony being overly pleased about any of these. To protect its intellectual properties and hardware, a part of the publisher’s response will therefore be geared toward fighting back on a legal front as well. While it’s unlikely that this process will have an impact on the console’s future or most owners, a general PSN ban order might be put in place for anyone found to have jailbroken their PS5.