AfterDawn: News

PSP developer calls it quits

The PSP homebrew scene was dealt a blow recently as one of the more influential developers for the PSP decided to call it quits. Dark_Alex, who's work included many custom firmware options for PSP owners allowing them to keep the homebrew capabilities while still experience the newer features, has stated on his website that he can no longer keep up with the scene.

Blaming the amount of time it takes to work on new revisions as well as potential pressures from Sony themselves, he has decided to tip his hat to the scene and walk away while he still can.



Bye, scene.

I've decided to cease OE development, and leave PSP scene.
The reasons are various.
One of them is the time it consumes, which i'm losing from other things.
The other is related to my security. I didn't like Sony menaces to PS3 hackers.
I think it is better to leave now rather than end paying the consequences. As quoted from his website.

This departure comes just before anyone could marvel in the famed 3.50 firmware release. There are bound to be many, including myself, who will miss Dark_Alex's OE custom firmware revisions, but it is understood that what he did was a risky business and its smart for him to leave while he's ahead.

Source:
Dark Alex

Written by: Dave Horvath @ 3 Jul 2007 8:24

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• 31 comments

• diabolic

  This is a huge loss for the scene. There haven't been many that have contributed as much as Dark_Alex, I hope that this is not a permanent retirement.

  3.7.2007 08:56 #1

• DoomLight

  i hope at least someone as smart and brilliant as dark alex can do the stuff he did.
  
  haven't heard much from Booster either with the Devhook releases. i just hope this doesn't spell the end of homebrew and OE stuff for PSP.

  3.7.2007 09:04 #2

• lxfactor

  wow that sucks. =[

  3.7.2007 09:08 #3

• RiPPERD

  cold av at least given us the 3.51OE he was wrkin on..

  3.7.2007 09:18 #4

• jordan25

  HOLD ON how do you guys know this is the real dark alex and not a fake, there is hundreds of them?

  3.7.2007 09:26 #5

• scott2k7

  go on his site and find out then unless it got hacked

  3.7.2007 09:37 #6

• jordan25

  is it possible for him to say he has quit just to lay low from sony and release other custom firmwares through a different name?

  3.7.2007 09:48 #7

• samus250

  I don't blame him, what he did was risky. But he did great stuff, we all owe him thanks. Thanks Dark_Alex! You will find many good uses with your intelligence and your time!

  3.7.2007 09:53 #8

• RiPPERD

  wtf how can it be fake its on ALL major websites round the world as breakin news!
  
  im sure he would av at least contacted someone if it was fake
  

  Dark_Alex Is Gone...!!! Were All Fucked Now! The Game Goes To Sony... R.I.P. DAX

  3.7.2007 09:55 #9

• webe123

  Well I don't think this will be the end. He may quit, but others will take his place.
  
  Remember how they thought that music sharing was dead when they took down napster? Same situation here, a developer in the scene quits and someone else takes his place...nothing new.

  3.7.2007 10:16 #10

• muccione

  I would think that it would be hard to just walk away, He will be back...with a new name...it should throw off the dogs...if not..he should walk away with his head held high..he has helped a whole sub-culture and is well known and respected...Go to Tibet and find your self again Dark_Alex you WILL be missed......................

  3.7.2007 10:26 #11

• lxfactor

  he dont got time to be messin with video games... he got a life.. it takes him a week to crack a firmware... and a day for sony to release a new one.. so hes like man this is dumb... just get the mod chip... i used to help out a scene. but it was too time consuming.. so i said later..

  3.7.2007 10:47 #12

• GaMeZrUlE

  As much as it sucks to say he is right it is risky. We will miss you
  Dark_Alex.
  
  
  
  
  
  Dark_Alex= Inducted in the PSP Hall Of Fame

  3.7.2007 11:19 #13

• svtstang

  Originally posted by webe123:Well I don't think this will be the end. He may quit, but others will take his place.
  
  Remember how they thought that music sharing was dead when they took down napster? Same situation here, a developer in the scene quits and someone else takes his place...nothing new.errmm....last time I checked making a music sharing site did not have the same level of complexity of creating a firmware. D_A has stated he is not giving out the source code for security reasons, nobody will be able to pick up where he left off. The scene is about dead, there is only one other firmware develop I know of, becus25, and he uses the source code from previously made firmwares to make his. Not even in the same league as D_A.

  3.7.2007 11:36 #14

• faqman98

  Quote:haven't heard much from Booster either with the Devhook releases. i just hope this doesn't spell the end of homebrew and OE stuff for PSP.booster was forced to stop making devhook cuz he was infringing on the intellectual property of sony. also i don't doubt for a second that this truly is the end for DAX cuz he has suffered a lot since he started including (to my knowledge) the death(s) of significant family members and being framed for making a fake downgrader so his revelation of the hopelessness of the entire thing is probably just the straw that broke the camels back

  3.7.2007 12:03 #15

• armorthis

  I never thought I would see the day...dark_alex was probably the bets thing to happen to the homebrew scene with his OE custom firmwares.

  3.7.2007 12:09 #16

• blackvamp

  Originally posted by svtstang:
  
  errmm....last time I checked making a music sharing site did not have the same level of complexity of creating a firmware. D_A has stated he is not giving out the source code for security reasons, nobody will be able to pick up where he left off. The scene is about dead, there is only one other firmware develop I know of, becus25, and he uses the source code from previously made firmwares to make his. Not even in the same league as D_A.I've heard of another custom firmware EAR, like 3.30EAR. It's quite popular in Asia. I don't know if it's just a spin-off of DAX's OE, or a totally new developer.

  3.7.2007 12:16 #17

• NexGen76

  I think when DA site got hacked it has scared him im willing to bet Sony had something to do with it.Calling it quits...naw i don't think so just a name change that all.

  3.7.2007 13:57 #18

• zachier

  He did the right thing. =/
  
  Thanks for everything, Dark_Alex.

  3.7.2007 14:05 #19

• vinny13

  You'll know if it's real if Sony starts puting in big things in their firmware all of a sudden lol.
  
  Then we'll all have to upgrade :(
  
  But remember, there's always China!

  3.7.2007 16:18 #20

• BurningAs

  dude this guy is the scene. no doubt he has been harrased by Sony into making this decision but wait, this is just cover up story so he can emerge under a different name. guys that do the things he do, dont quit like this!
  
  mark my words

  3.7.2007 17:35 #21

• snoodking

  Hey man i don;t know if you will read this but i respect what you have done and know it's risky and i give you hope for the future, peace, will miss you

  3.7.2007 19:27 #22

• donpugz44

  The best damn psp hacker Dark Alex. R.I.P
  Retire In Peace

  3.7.2007 19:48 #23

• Mik3h

  This is indeed a major loss to the PSP scene :( But I understand why he did it. Hopefully someone will start where he left off.

  3.7.2007 22:57 #24

• borhan9

  Wow!!! I feel for him due to the fact he takes ages to create them and the hackers just kill and reverse it in a shorter time.

  4.7.2007 03:07 #25

• marlino23

  yeaaaaaaaaaa, if he is under cover ur kinda giving him away :D lol
  

  PSP History: 1.00 > 2.60 > 2.70 > 2.71 > 2.80 > 2.81 > 2.82 > 3.03 > 3.10 > 3.11 > 3.30 > 3.40 > 3.50 > 3.50 HEN > 1.50 > 3.40 OE-A > 3.03 OE-C > 3.40 OE-A.
  

  4.7.2007 07:04 #26

• legend999

  Then we will need to wait for becus to make us a new firmware...Sooner or later sony will be releasing games with 3.50 or 3.51 and bammm,we'll be on the ground.... :(

  4.7.2007 09:10 #27

• Mik3h

  I doubt it. He's about 16 years old, which is fairly young to be the arch enemy of a company like Sony. But I'm sure someone else will continue where he left on.

  4.7.2007 13:55 #28

• marlino23

  will the psp version changer fool the updates guys??????????????

  4.7.2007 16:21 #29

• svtstang

  ????
  
  The version changer (which I think you mean firmware spoof) is nothing more then a kiddie trick, so you can say to a bud, "hey, look I have version 95940.32!!! w00t!"
  
  The scene wont die, just will sloooooooooow down a bit. I havent seen a 3.50 required game yet, so hopefully we are good for at least another month or two.
  

  
  
  It is within the forum rules ddp, i swear!! :P

  4.7.2007 17:42 #30

• RiPPERD

  looks like were all in need of DevHook update soon so can play 3.50 + games?
  
  hate to say it but bring back the DevHook!
  

  Dark_Alex Is Gone...!!! Were All Fucked Now! The Game Goes To Sony... R.I.P. DAX

  4.7.2007 19:24 #31