Sony sues PSP hackers

A couple of motnhs ago Datel announced that they were going to release a battery for the PSP-3000 so it could be hacked. But after waiting for months the battery is still not released. Today it is announced why this battery will never be released.

[Kingsora]

I am sick of those hackers, they destroyed the PSP support.

[Captain Tuttle]

Go get 'em Sony

[Capt CHAOS]

Sony have lost alot of potential revenue as a result on the existing PSP.

[thereapersson]

Yeah, I agree. The only reason people are for piracy and hacking is because they're too cheap to buy existing games, regardless of whether the games themselves warrant a purchase or not.

You'd have to be a fanboy or a Sony hater to not admit that piracy is a big issue that's brought the PSP down a few levels when it comes to revenue for Sony, not to mention the fact that it's the reason games aren't selling as well as they should on the system.

Why purchase when you can load downloaded game ISO's onto a memory card through a hacker program?

[Chris399]

I buy all my games, despite a certain "friend" who has offered to mod my PSP and 360 numerous times.

I'm not a blind loyalist, but I'm smart enough to know that PIRACY KILLS DEVELOPER SUPPORT.

Look at PC gaming, most games NEVER achieve 1 million sales. MMOs don't count, as their model forces you to purchase the software/ subscription to play.

And the silly thing about software is that if you can't afford something, just wait a month or two. Software devalues really, really quick. The argument that people "just can't afford it" doesn't hold water. If you could afford to buy a next gen system or handheld, you can certainly save for the games that you like.

If no one taught you how to save, take a course in home economics. I was finishing off my Masters and making minimum wage AND paying for school when I bought my PS3. I purchased groceries only (never ate out) and had all my meals at home, I switched from a cell to a land-line and I saved $50 every two weeks until I had enough to buy the system. Same sorta deal when I bought my 360 and PSP.

And I'm not trying to sound like an elitist or super-human by saying that, I'm just giving an example of how moot the "piracy for the poor" argument is.

And yes, in developing countries and particularly down-trodden areas of the US and Canada where people really, truly can't afford the expense of a next-gen system, there's still the PS2.

Really no excuse for piracy that I can think of, unless you like to steal.

Cheers,
- C

P.S. To all the people becrying: "I use my homebrew for e-reader and text messaging and such!"; for 5 of you, there are 95 using their PSPs for iso loading. If you really want those features implemented take it up with Sony.

[IdleLeeSiuLung]

I'm not for piracy and Sony is well within its right to sue others for infringing. However, I must also point out that sometims piracy also has the added effect of increasing the userbase. If Sony is making a profit off each handeld sold, they are still profiting. If they hack it, it is also likely they can't claim on warranty which of course means more profit.

The Nintendo DS has rampant piracy with the R4 carts. Sales are still brisk. Of course there are also legitimate users of homebrew, although I suspect the majority isn't.

[Vistrix]

This isnt the answer. Both sides are as bad as the other.

Sony needs to work with this homebrew scene, not against.

[Marceles]

I don't think the homebrew scene would agree with anything Sony said unless it had something to do with "free games"

[Kingsora]

Indeed maybe 5% of whole the hombrew community is interested in only homebrew and not free games.

And why is Sonybad? Because they don't want piracy on their handheld????

[Skerj]

That's because you guys see "Homebrew" and instantly think "PIRACY!!". No, I see "Homebrew" and see: Ebook reader, universal custom soundtracks, universal remote, video and screenshot saving utilities, audio/video codecs, XMB replacements (some pretty damn snazzy I might add), new keyboard layouts etc.

Homebrew is not piracy, if it were then it'd be called "Piracy" and not "Homebrew". It's true the former can sometimes (and often) lead to the other, but it doesn't take away the awesome capabilities gained from it. Oh also thanks to Sony and homebrew, I got to rip all my PS1 games to play on the PSP since they're taking forever and a day to add them to the store. That one's kinda grey. ..

[thereapersson]

I agree for the most part with your post, Skerj. Homebrew has really enabled some awesome programs and functionality that otherwise wouldn't exist if we were left to Sony's run-of-the-mill firmware updates. However, you also can't deny the fact that a lot of people have seen this as an opportunity to use the system as a pirated game loader.

You have to admit though, being able to play any PSone game on the PSP because (like you said) Sony is too lazy to actually put them on the PSN is nice. It's not like Sony isn't already doing it, so it's not really a bad thing. You already own the games, after all...

It really is a grey area -- like people who utilize the P2P network program called "Soulseek" -- there are really legitimate uses for the software, like artists who actively pursue free distribution of their IP's. However, for every 2 or 3 users who "play it safe", there's 20 more who are more than eager to skirt around legalities in return for personal gain.

[Chris399]

It says so in every piece of EULA that comes with the device.

You can argue semantics all you want, but Sony owes nothing to the homebrew community. An example of Sony's lenience when approached in a normal fashion is Linux on the PS3. Discussions were had, agreements were made and voila, Linux on the PS3.

[Keowrath]

Completely agree Skerj. My PSP is hacked to run homebrew. Every game I have on the system, I have a hard copy of that I bought myself.

Xenogears, Final Fantasy 7 & 8, Metal Gear Solid, Vagrant Story, Portable Ops+ and Castlevania Chronicals are all sitting on my PSP's memory card and their original Disc is sitting on a shelf indoors.

Not all people who use homebrew are FOR pirated games, some people need to learn this.

[Chris399]

If you want all sorts of user-controlled functions and apps. Not a PSP.

And while it's great that you and a few others (5%) own hard-copies of your isos, the preponderance of hombrew users (95%) use it for piracy.

Majority, vast majority in this case rules. And as for the rest of us non-homebrew users that 95% are ruining development on the platform.

[ZootHornRollo]

your being baisd and forcing your opinion on every one Chris399 and thereapersson. there are more people who have made there psp better and have not used it to play free games. do note there are more people stealing games on the xbox and you seem to avoid that.

now there is nothing wrong with piracy it doesnt hurt any big company for every 100 people that download there are 300 more that pay. and that has been proven over and over again.

[Sangria]

Sony should do much more against hackers. I used to crack my PSP and download games, but when i got a job, i understood that developers worked on those games, what they made is their source of salary and no one want to work for free.

I bought another PSP and bought all the games i have downloaded, and for now, i wont touch piracy anymore, as much in video games as in cinema.

[I_LOVE_MYSELF]

I dont see anything wrong with piracy... Thats probably because I dont care about the outcome much at all... Its not affecting my personal life to a significant extent so meh... And I think a majority of people have downloaded something (movies, music, games etc)... Who gives a damn?

Currently I dont download anything... Nothing interests me... I dont DL movies because I want to see them in good quality... Heck I didnt see Dark Knight until christmas day because I wanted to watch it on Blu Ray

[thereapersson]

"Thats probably because I dont care about the outcome much at all... Its not affecting my personal life to a significant extent so meh"

There is a lot that's wrong with that statement, and I think you know exactly what it is...

Hell, I download music, but even I stop and think sometimes about what I am doing. I know I buy what I really like though, and delete what I dislike, so It's not so bad. Your attitude is just extremely lackadaisical.

[I_LOVE_MYSELF]

Nice little mini rant going on there but I cant care much for the opinion of a person who seems to be a bit of a hypocrite

"The only reason people are for piracy and hacking is because they're too cheap to buy existing games, regardless of whether the games themselves warrant a purchase or not."

funny how you say people are cheap for downloading games and yet you confess to downloading music... although you do buy what you really like and im sure the people who DL games do the same... For example I bet a lot of peeps downloaded dissidia because it isnt out here yet but they will still buy the game when its released here...

anyway I admit my views towards piracy are a bit arrogant or whatever but thats how little I care... But hey I dont do it myself at all

[Karum]

Piracy hurts the overall industry but here's what I don't mind about PSP hacking.

Some of the homebrew applications are great. I can't hack my PSP (yet) because there isn't a hack for it (yet) but when there is you can bet I'll be hacking it. I'll continue to purchase games because I like to support the developers that bring us great games and ensure they are able to keep doing so. People who hack it just to play pirated games are wrong for doing so and can't be condoned.

But what I'd like to do is run some different apps on my PSP such as LightMP3 (I believe that is the name) which reduces power consumption and allows me to create playlists etc. on the go because I'd rather spend a lot less on a 16GB memory stick than upgrading my ipod to a 16GB model or even buy 2 16 gig sticks for less than half the price of a 32 gig ipod touch.

Also I'd like to run some of the emulators and ROM's for older games like snes games and stuff that some of my friends can.

That's how I'd use my hacked PSP if I had one but ofc not everyone is like that. I'd stil pay retail for my games I just want to have more functionality that Sony hasn't added in. Even if they just made it possible to create playlists on the go and added a shuffle feature (maybe repeat too, not sure it has that atm) I'd be happy enough with my official firmware because IMO the PSP should be as much of a portable gaming and media device in the same way the PS3 is a home gaming and entertainment device.

I guess it's for these reasons I hope a PSP2 isn't too far off aswell.

[typikal82]

They didn't sue hackers, they sued a company that was trying to make a profit from what the hackers have done. Which is right in my mind. I highly doubt Dark Alex or the M33 guys ever made a large profit like Datel was planning to make by releasing this.

All you guys talking about piracy being wrong are probably the same guys that buy used games. You know when you buy a used game from GameStop they get 100% of the sale, the dev see's nothing at all.

[Karum]

I can't actually remember the last time I bought a used game, I've traded a fair few in recently but I don't like buying used games. Not because of giving devs support but because I simply don't like 2nd hand merchandise of any sort. I'm mentally unable to buy 2nd hand lol.

[Voiceofreason]

I have to laugh at this.. Funny to see guys agree with what SOny is doing but if it was Nintendo or MS it would jus be more proof those companies should burn in hell. Oh but when its Sony good job... And people still wonder why this site is a complete joke in the gaming community.