New PS3 titles fighting off piracy?

Sony has made several moves to combat piracy on the PlayStation 3 (PS3) console following the release of PSJailBreak and other solutions based on the same trick. Firstly, it closed the USB exploit with firmware 3.42. Later on, another firmware change included a whitelist of USB devices, which also caused some controller incompatibilities.

Now some game titles are also reportedly prepared to tackle attempted piracy. Medal of Honor is one confirmed example. While there are copies of the game available to download online, only newer firmware can be used to play it. Instead of just being a case of refusing to boot on lower firmware, it is reported that only newer firmware can actually decrypt the content due to the use of a new crypto key.

Other new titles like Castlevania: Lords of Shadow and Enslaved: Odyssey to the West do still work using the hack however. Other soon to be released titles will probably require the latest firmware be installed first too as Sony and publishers will look to impact piracy on the platform for the busy holiday season.

It's unclear how long it will take for an effective response from the hacker community to the measures taken by Sony, but it's a certainty that neither side will give in any time soon.

Written by: James Delahunty @ 13 Oct 2010 11:33

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32 comments

tatsh

No one should be surprised. This is PSP all over again.

13.10.2010 11:54 #1

Mysttic

Good for Sony, it's no fun if they just give up

13.10.2010 12:10 #2

biglo30

Yeah I known about this for a long time now. Great to see how to scene is being updated everyday.

13.10.2010 12:21 #3

dEwMe

Yeah they still aren't unhackable anymore...LOL

Just my $0.02,

dEwMe

13.10.2010 13:23 #4

polk68

It's going to go back and forward. Like xbox360

13.10.2010 13:54 #5

KillerBug

Sony...you started the war when you removed OtherOS support just because some guy enabled the GPU (or got close to enabling the GPU). You punch, we kick. You kick, we stab. You cannot make games unhackable, you can only make them too difficult for the average person to apply a crack to...and if you do that, they you will loose sales because people will be forced to download the pirate copy; there will be no reason to buy the game.

13.10.2010 23:02 #6

pspndsps3

i just hope the ps3 hackers will always stay one step ahead of sony.i just want to play my ps3 backups on my ps3 in the future.that and homebrew.

what we need is a good custum firware like with the psp.

13.10.2010 23:49 #7

Amak

PS3 will be the PSP in terms of hacking. Give it up Sony... you lost.

14.10.2010 05:08 #8

KillerBug

They are not going to give up; they are going to keep fighting until all their loyal users are their enemies...until all the games have always-on DRM...until even non-jb users switch to PSN alternatives because there are more people there. Sony wants a fight...and they have it. It won't stop until sometime in 2013; after the first price break for the PS4.

14.10.2010 05:49 #9

Zealousi

So they up the encryption, that is a new trick haha so let's hope Dark Alex is working on m33 for ps3. Once we get to that point it is all downhill.

As others have said above the ps3 is not worth it and Sony will rather put their customer base in harms way just to save little revenue from Pirates.

Sony lets make a deal give us linux back and we will not completely let this blow up in your face. That's fair

14.10.2010 09:34 #10

shaffaaf

i dont get why you people are against people stopping piracy. in the end of the day, it is their system, the devs games, they deserve to get paid etc. dont like it dont buy a PS3.

14.10.2010 11:21 #11

Zealousi

But Sony don't deserve to be called a Gaming Company, They are bigger toss pots then EA and as everyone knows they are the biggest Tools in the business, the sell out's that they are.

As a Developer, Yes Developers need to get paid and i am sure everyone will support that and yes it is their system that can not even be used to it's original or full capabilities.

I am sorry the gaming community does not support rich and stupid people, Sony should support real developers and fix up their console so we can stop laughing at them after god only knows how long.

Sony is and forever will be a joke to gaming community.

14.10.2010 12:28 #12

Oner

Originally posted by Zealousi: But Sony don't deserve to be called a Gaming Company, They are bigger toss pots then EA and as everyone knows they are the biggest Tools in the business, the sell out's that they are.

As a Developer, Yes Developers need to get paid and i am sure everyone will support that and yes it is their system that can not even be used to it's original or full capabilities.

I am sorry the gaming community does not support rich and stupid people, Sony should support real developers and fix up their console so we can stop laughing at them after god only knows how long.

Sony is and forever will be a joke to gaming community. 100+ Million PS1's Sold
145+ Million PS2's Sold (AND STILL COUNTING)
62+ Million PSP's Sold/Selling
38+ PS3's Million Sold/Selling (and that total was back in June 2010)
2+ Million PS Moves Sold/Selling in JUST 1 Month and JUST the EU & US alone (not out yet in Japan)
NUMEROUS AAA + Games of the Year by 1st & 3rd party devs across ALL gens, genres and ALL consoles

That sure as hell doesn't sound, look or seem like a "joke" to me...nor anyone else with a bit of credibility in the industry. Sorry ~ but you are sorely mistaken because you believe your "opinion" equates to fact when it does not.

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14.10.2010 21:34 #13

Zealousi

247 million units Sony sold by your figures.

6,697,254,041 Population of Earth Today

As of June 2010, there are over 41.7+ million Xbox 360 consoles worldwide. Compared to your 38+.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xbox_360 3rd paragraph

360 has this generation, i will admit last generation Sony did have the upper hand but after their market testing xbox the first it was just a take over after that.

The last and most important point i am going to make is that how many times has sony been in the news the last several weeks for acting stupid. Everyone don't give your money to 3rd party controller as they will blow up with no evidence so you have to buy our controllers. That was funny, just summed up their intelligence quite nice don't you think.

Being a GT fan would be the only way i would get a ps3 but i don't think i would even allow the console in my house.

Sony = Fail

--Had to edit this in--
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=269847
Xbox 360 outsold Wii and PS3 for the fourth consecutive month in the US during September, according NPD figures provided by Microsoft.

14.10.2010 22:36 #14

ddp

Zealousi, find another source to confirm your data as shouldn't trust ms or sony for data but a third party to confirm either company's data. it is like enron saying we are making all kinds of money when they were actually loosing it by the dump truck load.

14.10.2010 23:27 #15

Oner

Originally posted by Zealousi: 247 million units Sony sold by your figures.

6,697,254,041 Population of Earth Today

As of June 2010, there are over 41.7+ million Xbox 360 consoles worldwide. Compared to your 38+.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xbox_360 3rd paragraph

360 has this generation, i will admit last generation Sony did have the upper hand but after their market testing xbox the first it was just a take over after that.

The last and most important point i am going to make is that how many times has sony been in the news the last several weeks for acting stupid. Everyone don't give your money to 3rd party controller as they will blow up with no evidence so you have to buy our controllers. That was funny, just summed up their intelligence quite nice don't you think.

--Had to edit this in--
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=269847
Xbox 360 outsold Wii and PS3 for the fourth consecutive month in the US during September, according NPD figures provided by Microsoft. NPD does not equal the world.

The 360 does not have this gen. The Wii has something to say about that. Plus for a console that has had up to One and a Half year of a sales lead to be passed by the "inferior" Wii and be ONLY a few Million ahead of a the PS3 (which has ALWAYS been more expensive & MILLIONS of RROD repurchases)...your opinion doesn't make much sense when it's put into a truthful perspective.

Originally posted by Zealousi: Being a GT fan would be the only way i would get a ps3 but i don't think i would even allow the console in my house.

Sony = Fail

And this from the other thread about GT ~

AS a gamer who has completed every GT to date with 1 mill in the bank on each save file, this is very disappointing to read but i do not support sony what so ever as they are the biggest Jews in the gaming industry along with EA.....As a matter of fact they are best friends with EA.
Racist much? SMH...whatever

For someone who claims to be such a fan of a game then why wouldn't you play the game? You don't make excuses to not play something you so dearly like if you are a GAMER. Period.

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15.10.2010 13:30 #16

Unlockneo

Originally posted by KillerBug: Sony...you started the war when you removed OtherOS support just because some guy enabled the GPU (or got close to enabling the GPU). You punch, we kick. You kick, we stab. You cannot make games unhackable, you can only make them too difficult for the average person to apply a crack to...and if you do that, they you will loose sales because people will be forced to download the pirate copy; there will be no reason to buy the game. wow. you still crying over the removal of the OtherOS feature? that feature is pointless/useless. really, if you want to install linux; install it on your PC.

http://g4tv.com/attackoftheshow/videos/index.html

15.10.2010 14:03 #17

Unlockneo

Originally posted by KillerBug: You cannot make games unhackable, you can only make them too difficult for the average person to apply a crack to...and if you do that, they you will loose sales because people will be forced to download the pirate copy; there will be no reason to buy the game. what? i'm confuse by your statement. let me get this right.
so, if i buy a ps3 game and i wasn't able to hack/crack it or make copies/backup, therefore i won't buy it, but instead i download the pirate version and that make sony lose money.
or
if sony don't make their games unhackable. the average person will jailbreak their ps3 and download pirate version, therefore sony will lose money.

http://g4tv.com/attackoftheshow/videos/index.html

15.10.2010 14:05 #18

Unlockneo

Originally posted by KillerBug: They are not going to give up; they are going to keep fighting until all their loyal users are their enemies...until all the games have always-on DRM...until even non-jb users switch to PSN alternatives because there are more people there. Sony wants a fight...and they have it. It won't stop until sometime in 2013; after the first price break for the PS4. again, what? so, you saying that all their loyal users jailbreak their ps3, so therefore that make them enemies of sony. and how do you know this? why does it matter if sony put DRM on the game or block jailbreaker from PSN? oh, i know...it is call "How To Run A Business".

http://g4tv.com/attackoftheshow/videos/index.html

15.10.2010 14:06 #19

Unlockneo

Originally posted by Zealousi: So they up the encryption, that is a new trick haha so let's hope Dark Alex is working on m33 for ps3.
so, i look up "Dark Alex" and he only hack psp.

Originally posted by Zealousi: Once we get to that point it is all downhill.
no, not really. sony just going to update their firmware and block jailbreaker from PSN.

Originally posted by Zealousi: Sony lets make a deal give us linux back and we will not completely let this blow up in your face. That's fair
you too still crying over the removal of the OtherOS. wow

Originally posted by Zealousi: I am sorry the gaming community does not support rich and stupid people...Sony is and forever will be a joke to gaming community...Sony = Fail
"the gaming community" you mean haters. like you?

http://g4tv.com/attackoftheshow/videos/index.html

15.10.2010 14:14 #20

Mez

Originally posted by shaffaaf: i dont get why you people are against people stopping piracy. in the end of the day, it is their system, the devs games, they deserve to get paid etc. dont like it dont buy a PS3. In some cases it is just as you say. More cases, people want freedom Sony wants to take away from them. It is like jailbreaking phones. Most person don't care if Apple doesn't want you to use certain apps on the phone they created. Others fee they bought is so it is theirs. I personally have a huge issue with Sony telling me what shows I can watch on my Sony TV.

Many of these companies want you to buy all their products and play by their rules. You don't have to buy their products. You also don't have to play by their rules even though you bought their product. Some persons prefer to do that.

15.10.2010 14:23 #21

sparkinso

I honestly think that if these companies don`t charge so much.........there would be no need for piracy,they only got themselves to blame,stop piracy.......lower the price,SORTED

15.10.2010 19:19 #22

1nsan3

Homebrew is the reason i do all my system. and always will.

For Sale:

Parachute, Used Once, never opened small stain.
Best Offer!

16.10.2010 09:25 #23

jvwheel

Originally posted by shaffaaf: i dont get why you people are against people stopping piracy. in the end of the day, it is their system, the devs games, they deserve to get paid etc. dont like it dont buy a PS3. I am for Sony's demise because they sold me a computer with a gaming feature and then came into my home and stole the computer they sold me. Most people that bought a PS3 with the, "Other operating System," feature paid much more than those that simply bought a gaming console thus it was theirs and not Sony's. Sony is a thief yet wants to claim, "Clean Hands," when their property is stolen.

16.10.2010 19:24 #24

DXR88

Originally posted by Unlockneo: Originally posted by KillerBug: Sony...you started the war when you removed OtherOS support just because some guy enabled the GPU (or got close to enabling the GPU). You punch, we kick. You kick, we stab. You cannot make games unhackable, you can only make them too difficult for the average person to apply a crack to...and if you do that, they you will loose sales because people will be forced to download the pirate copy; there will be no reason to buy the game. wow. you still crying over the removal of the OtherOS feature? that feature is pointless/useless. really, if you want to install linux; install it on your PC. Pointless/useless, maybe to those with the intelligence of a rock. Other OS was A very strong selling point as it had many useful feature to those that had no intention of gaming.

A server for instance, would you buy A $3000 dollar Cell based Server made by IBM or a $600 dollar PS3 with the same tech link 4 or more together and you have a supercomputer.

it also extremely useful for compiling. cell is a good 5x times faster than your standard server based Xenon or Opteron.

16.10.2010 20:21 #25

shaffaaf

you really think people who bought a PS3 for linux could give a damn about PSN and gaming if they are using it in that quantity?

fair enough for a very few percent that, like me, tried a distro (ubuntu 8.4 for me IICR) and used it when my pc was down, but not exactly as a primary function of the PS3. I would be more pissed if iplayer was taken away.

17.10.2010 07:46 #26

marleyboy

Originally posted by shaffaaf: i dont get why you people are against people stopping piracy. in the end of the day, it is their system, the devs games, they deserve to get paid etc. dont like it dont buy a PS3. Its not a case of piracy, many people want to develop for themselves either apps or programmes on the PS3, if anyone has caused a war over it, its Sony.

Now the PS3 is cracked (particularly those who dont upgrade the firmware), patches, back doors, cracks and all manner of things are capable, its only a question of time as to when someone creates an alternative patch, to compensate for updated firmware or games insisting on updates.

This directly as a result of Sony's enforcement in downgrading consoles that users back then specifically bought in order to develop software of their own. Had they left it as OS capable, they would not be in this mess.

Not everybody who has a PS3, has an internet connection and\or many children with a PS3 dont have them connected online for a variety of reasons. It is therefore rendering PS3 users into being forced to have an internet connection, in order to play games.

Imagine if we were forced to have an internet connection on our desktops or laptops, in order to run the software.

One of two things will happen to Sony as a result. Either they will give up turning it more and more into a fort knox, (which is already rendering it incompatible with anything else but Sony products) and concentrate on developing on the PS4, or they will close so many doors and windows on the system, people will just give up with Sony altogether, and move onto pc or 360 consoles that offer a little more leeway in software development.

This in turn will have a MASSIVE knock on effect for the PS4, as purchasers will conclude that "Sony claim to OWN the console and can do pretty much what they want to it after it is purchased, so its not worth investing in another one.", thus the new Xbox 450 will take over in the consumer markets.

17.10.2010 08:35 #27

adre02

So marleyboy, from what you said, people cannot create their own apps anymore? You are saying that it is impossible?
I really KNOW this is not a fact at all.

This is superman

18.10.2010 09:59 #28

marleyboy

Originally posted by adre02: So marleyboy, from what you said, people cannot create their own apps anymore? You are saying that it is impossible?
I really KNOW this is not a fact at all. Not at all, those are your words, I say Sony are taking away the rights of people creating apps of their own, unless of course they are prepared to pay a fortune in Sony PS3 development software, (fortunately those with pre dated PS3's who wisely never updated can now download this for free - BIG OOPS!).

Cracked PS3's that are currently floating around, will no doubt be able to get updated "patched" firmware, particularly as they still have USB capability.

Of course the majority of Sony programmers or developers (as well as many potential new PS3 customers) will quickly die off, the interest in the PS3 will be limited to gamers, and like with any gaming console, once the novelty wears off, they move on.

I cannot foresee many moving on to the PS4, there are too many restrictions, as well as a determination that it MUST have internet connection. (I will stick with my trusting PC), I am more likely to invest in the next gen 360 than a PS4, because I dont like the idea of constantly downgrading a system and buying only branded expensive products (like joypads) to use them.

My PS3 will remain as it is (no upgrades and fully accessible) up until it fades into oblivion (like the PS1), from there, there is no way I will risk investing in such a hugely overpriced product with so many conditions attached to it and limitations installed on it.

Sony have lost any future trust or business from me, and quite a large list of many others, you will note this come xmas, when Sony sales drop dramatically and find themselves superseded by the more "compatible" consoles that hit the market.

19.10.2010 18:00 #29

blueboy09

No matter how unhackable they think their games, there's ALWAYS somebody smarter and quicker than they are. History has proved that to us over and over again. You might as well give up Sony. To resist is futile!!

Life is about walking on thin ice, if you make too much drama, youll crack under pressure. - BLUEBOY

19.10.2010 21:14 #30

xtago

Originally posted by Mez: Originally posted by shaffaaf: i dont get why you people are against people stopping piracy. in the end of the day, it is their system, the devs games, they deserve to get paid etc. dont like it dont buy a PS3. In some cases it is just as you say. More cases, people want freedom Sony wants to take away from them. It is like jailbreaking phones. Most person don't care if Apple doesn't want you to use certain apps on the phone they created. Others fee they bought is so it is theirs. I personally have a huge issue with Sony telling me what shows I can watch on my Sony TV.

Many of these companies want you to buy all their products and play by their rules. You don't have to buy their products. You also don't have to play by their rules even though you bought their product. Some persons prefer to do that. it's not about freedom, it's about poor people who can just barely afford a product but can't afford the extras that go with it.

Many people who jailbreak a PS3 do so because they want to make copies of games they rented from the shop down the road, it's about paying nothing or next to nothing to get stuff.

In terms of the iphone people who want to pirate stuff, don't want to be using itunes so you need to jailbreak it so you can use a pretend version of itunes software so you can pirate the software onto the phone.

That is the reality of it.

It's the some deal for those people who are more than happy to flog your car go for a 5min drive then set it on fire so you don't have a car anymore and they don't get busted for flogging it.

yet you get left with a loan you have to pay out and have to get another car so you can work or sit around or what ever.

Sony allowed people to make up their own apps on Linux with otheros sony removed it because some 20 year old kid wanted to use that to break the PS3 OS so he could play pirated games simple as that.

this whole BS of my freedom is wreaked because I can't use pirated software on my PS3 is a laugh if you knew you couldn't use pirated software then why buy the bloody thing in the first place.

20.10.2010 10:26 #31

marleyboy

Originally posted by xtago: Originally posted by Mez: Originally posted by shaffaaf: i dont get why you people are against people stopping piracy. in the end of the day, it is their system, the devs games, they deserve to get paid etc. dont like it dont buy a PS3. In some cases it is just as you say. More cases, people want freedom Sony wants to take away from them. It is like jailbreaking phones. Most person don't care if Apple doesn't want you to use certain apps on the phone they created. Others fee they bought is so it is theirs. I personally have a huge issue with Sony telling me what shows I can watch on my Sony TV.

Many of these companies want you to buy all their products and play by their rules. You don't have to buy their products. You also don't have to play by their rules even though you bought their product. Some persons prefer to do that. it's not about freedom, it's about poor people who can just barely afford a product but can't afford the extras that go with it.

Many people who jailbreak a PS3 do so because they want to make copies of games they rented from the shop down the road, it's about paying nothing or next to nothing to get stuff.

In terms of the iphone people who want to pirate stuff, don't want to be using itunes so you need to jailbreak it so you can use a pretend version of itunes software so you can pirate the software onto the phone.

That is the reality of it.

It's the some deal for those people who are more than happy to flog your car go for a 5min drive then set it on fire so you don't have a car anymore and they don't get busted for flogging it.

yet you get left with a loan you have to pay out and have to get another car so you can work or sit around or what ever.

Sony allowed people to make up their own apps on Linux with otheros sony removed it because some 20 year old kid wanted to use that to break the PS3 OS so he could play pirated games simple as that.

this whole BS of my freedom is wreaked because I can't use pirated software on my PS3 is a laugh if you knew you couldn't use pirated software then why buy the bloody thing in the first place.
If only you knew how wrong you were, example, my PS3 is cracked, yet I have no copied games on it, I m not interested in "playing" PS3 games, however I do like the power a PS3 has, and have already programmed a Mandelbrot, just to see how powerful a system it really is, my next step is to play with vector graphics, create an app that will allow me to play all my (original) PS2 games and play around with various program ideas, I have plenty of things to try which would be impossible if it was not cracked, I would love to develop my own PS3 games, but in order to do that I have to understand the principles and potential in the PS3.

So NOT EVERYONE is after it for copied games, indeed the more experienced programmers have no interest in PS3 games one iota. We are more interested in the idea of a supercomputer, that can run 4 processors "simultaneously" making for very powerful software potential.

There possibly are MANY people who wish to exploit the PS3 to play pirate games, but I can assure you there are MANY MORE people who have no interest in playing games as much as programming them.

20.10.2010 20:05 #32

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