PlayStation 3 hackers: Your comments

20 August 2010

A group of hardware hackers, PSJailbreak, claim they are about to release the first product to allow gamers to play homemade and pirated games on the PlayStation 3.

The PS3 is the only games console not to have been hacked, despite being on the market for three years.

BBC News website readers have been sending in their reaction.

Your comments

Anti homemade games

Games are more expensive than any other form of digital media. They are also only relevant for short periods of time. As a PS3 gamer who has spent literally thousands of pounds on this "hobby", I find it distasteful for anyone to be able to acquire the same content for free. I'm sure Sony will prevail against pirates, as they have in the past.

Stu Nimmo, Livingston, Scotland

I think this is ridiculous. I don't see why people can't just buy the proper games and be respectable gamers. I think this kind of thing should be illegal to own and if you are found to own one, you should be fined heavily.

Dave, Liverpool, England

This is so irritating: all PS3 owners will now have to put up with an increased amount of mandatory firmware updates meant to combat every new hacking development, as has happened for the PSP platform, and who knows what sort of additional security features. All this, just so that a few retro fans can play emulated titles and in the name of piracy.

Chris Banks, Abingdon, UK

I would never pirate games on my PS3 for the same reason I don't pirate movies. The only reason I would be interested in a hack for the PS3 would be if it allowed me to play multi-region (genuine) DVDs.

Stuart Harcourt, UK

For homemade games

With capabilities the PS3 has I can't believe Sony hasn't released something similar to this. It is an innovative idea to be able to play games you or your friends created. If people use it for illegal purposes why is it Sony's problem? It will help drive sales on the PS3 and ultimately lead us to new ideas for gaming.

Mike Weisman, Charlottesville, US

I think it's a good idea if it was only being used for homebrew but we all know that's not the case. I think Sony could help stop this if they just sold the games cheaper. But as long as the claim the PS3 is unhackable and sell the games for so much, people will be out there trying to come up with ways to hack it and make money from doing so.

Simon Cregan, Dublin, Ireland

Whatever the manufacturer's say, this device will predominantly be used to play pirate software. It will not be good for Sony, who sell consoles at a loss and make profits on the software. But 'homebrew' games are a good thing. Sony has missed a trick by not following the Apple model of allowing anyone to make and sell games through their online shop and taking a cut of the profits. If they did that as well as update the firmware to prevent the use of the dongle, everyone would win - except the pirates.

Chris, London, England

Sony is looking at this from an angle that is completely wrong and counterproductive. As anyone with even a fair understanding of computers can tell you, there is no such thing as a machine that cannot be hacked. All that Sony does is delay the inevitable for a few years at the most.

Jon Ant, Philadelphia, US