Official Statement Regarding PS3 Circumvention Devices and Pirated Software

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Today, Sony Computer Entertainment released the following statement:

Notice: Unauthorized circumvention devices for the PlayStation 3 system have been recently released by hackers. These devices permit the use of unauthorized or pirated software. Use of such devices or software violates the terms of the “System Software License Agreement for the PlayStation 3 System” and the “Terms of Services and User Agreement” for the PlayStation Network/Qriocity and its Community Code of Conduct provisions. Violation of the System Software Licence Agreement for the PlayStation 3 System invalidates the consumer guarantee for that system. In addition, copying or playing pirated software is a violation of International Copyright Laws. Consumers using circumvention devices or running unauthorized or pirated software will have access to the PlayStation Network and access to Qriocity services through PlayStation 3 system terminated permanently.

To avoid this, consumers must immediately cease use and remove all circumvention devices and delete all unauthorized or pirated software from their PlayStation 3 systems.

What this means to you

Circumvention devices and game piracy damage our industry and can potentially injure the online experience for you, our loyal PlayStation customers, via hacks and cheats.

Many PlayStation.Blog readers have asked how we intend to deal with these incidents that they have been reading about in the gaming press, and this is our initial response.

By identifying PlayStation 3 systems that breach our guidelines and terminating their ability to connect to PlayStation Network, we are protecting our business and preserving the honest gameplay experiences that you expect and deserve.

Rest assured, this message does not apply to the overwhelming majority of our users who enjoy the world of entertainment PlayStation 3 has to offer without breaching the guidelines detailed above, and we urge you to continue doing so without fear.

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737 Comments

  • To show the love to the majority of the community who has no trouble abiding by Sony’s policy, how about some firmware updates specifically adding the top x-requested features? The last few updates seem to only be targeting the pirates.

  • BANHAMMER

  • While I don’t outright condone piracy, in the digital age in which we are living, the cost of consumer goods is becoming too high, at least in regards to software (or intangible elements of a piece of hardware).

    This applies to movies, music, and yes…games. The prices of these products are just too damn high, and because of this, it becomes OBVIOUS why people resort to piracy. It’s not always an act of theft, but a statement of rebellion.

    I repeat, I do not condone pirating games or music or movies, but when one can spend over 100 dollars and end up with only 1 game and 1 BR/DVD from Best Buy…or buy 3 brand new ink jet printers, then something is seriously wrong.

    We’re having the buck passed on to us for the inefficiencies of game development studios, and it won’t end well for anyone. I can empathize with hackers and pirates, but I don’t find what they do to be right. But then again, who among us can say they have NEVER downloaded a movie, or TV episode, or song off the web for free? No one. This entire argument is one of legality, that truly only Sony can stand behind with 100% moral unambiguity.

  • seems like FaustsHausUK just Narc’d on himself/herself. lol facepalm.

    I buy all of my games, sony can check. I have a stack of used psn cards larger than the stack of unused at any store in my city. 32 psn ps3 dloads, 9 minis, 5 psone, and 2 psp titles. And moto gp waiting to dload because it gives me an 80029564 error. I’ve also had 15 psp’s in the last 5 years, some got stolen on me, others broke but I bought more. Yeah you could say Im hardcore…. oh and about 2 grand invested in Home.. and ALL preiphials.

  • Brick their consoles now BAN HAMMER TIME

  • wow, this is the first time the blog has talked about piracy. Im happy that you guys are talking about this, as piracy and cheating is harming both the gamer and of course the developers.

  • I support the games I love with my money. I want more of the games I love and the only way that happens is if people pay for what they play.

    Keep up the hard work of keeping people Honest!

  • Hell Yes! Very glad to see Sony fighting for the industry and for us gamers that want to enjoy our investment. As for the hackers, glad to see the consoles are going to be permabanned. Way to go Sony you have my support any day of the week on this issue!

  • @48 that’s because the time they could have spent implementing said features had to be spent protecting the system. That’s why in the end, a hacked system means we all lose.

  • I’m really hoping that this was a press release to cover their bases and now they are going to start banning systems left and right I hate when people exploit the system like this. And it really pisses me off when people try to make a home-brew excuse I know people that have hacked PS3’s and 360’s NONE of them are for home-brew purposes they just want to not have to pay for their games. Sure there are people out there who hack for home-brew purposes but the thing is that for every 1 person who hacked their system just to load another OS or learn to code for cell theirs 100 people who hack just to steal games.

  • ada boy SONY! Go get ’em.

    I can’t stand piraters! Its S.T.E.A.L.I.N.G.
    Down with them all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • I’m 1000% behind this, those who do this stuff for themselves is one thing, but when it effects games fairness, enjoyment and integrity, they deserve nothing but swift and unilateral punishment. They say they do it “just to do it” but we all know the real reason. As an honest player it warms my heart to see this being publicly acknowledged and acted upon. Kudos Sony.

  • OtherOS was a secure sandbox enthusiasts were happy playing in. There was little or no work being done to “hack” the PS3 to run unsigned or now homemade-officially-signed code.
    Sony started it all off by removing and not supporting OtherOS, than look how fast the PS3 was broken open. The initial “hack” that was done that made Sony remove OtherOS had nothing to do with OtherOS obviously at this point. Just a knee jerk reaction that has begun the onslaught of useless firmware updates punishing the very people that PAY for their content.
    Sony should embrace the fact people want to make applications for the PS3 and run Yellow Dog Linux on the system, create a PSN App Store bring back OtherOS.
    I love my PS3 and spend thousands of dollars a year on gaming across my Sony platforms I support the developers, publishers and hardware manufacturers, I know how it works.

    Make a secure system Sony, but give us a secure sandbox to play in, otherwise get these cheaters off the PSN and keep making epic content like Killzone 3 (pre-ordered the Helghast Edition btw)

  • They have a right to protect their business as they mentioned. Pirated software/games is weak, takes away from the companies who work hard who are all trying to make a living just as anyone else. I’d be ticked off too.

    Anyway, I’d rather get the official stuff as I’ve been doing so since the PS1 days. Not worth it getting banned forever for a few bucks.

    Good for Sony.

  • HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ALL THE $ONY BIATCHES ARE HAPPY BECAUSE THEIR PIMP IS GONNA PISS IN THE HOOD TO MARK TERRITORY???
    L – O – L.

  • I agree with this offical statement.

    My favorite games are only on the PS3 and I want to see more and the only way to do this is to support Sony.

  • Great news, I hope you continue to ban every single person hacking the PS3. =)

  • How you’re going to catch hackers… getting into their houses? There will always be hackers…. Sadly.

  • Yes, kick them off. They ruin the fun for everyone.

  • whats sad is that most of you that are like “get ’em sony” and “i never hacked and have been a loyal buyer of playstation” are the ones that are hacking.. dont play stupid.

  • nice move sony

  • Knock there blocks off Sony. I hate hackers!

  • While i believe you have every right to get people like this because seriously Hackers not only ruin devs, and other companies, but also the gamers as well (the legit ones anyway)

    It just seems weird that you guys have only said word about this now when it has been happening for some time now. Plus how comes you guys havent said anything about the Psp piracy?

    In no means am i saying this is a bad thing. i hope you guys stop this because its no fun for anyone as i said before. just why wait till now to address the issue, and havent addressed the issue for psp users?

  • Sony should send in the Navy to get rid of the pirates: Not only will they sniper you from the fantail of a destroyer while you’re in a life raft in choppy seas … they’ll do it at night… on Easter Sunday.

  • It’s good to finally see a statement. Whether I agree or not is irrelevant, as you have now laid out the ground rules for the access.

    I respect Sony for protecting the PS Network, you operate it and as such you should reserve the right to refuse service to anyone as a physical store.

    I’d however like to see fewer forced system updates. THe HD bug in 3.56 wasn’t 100% solved and I didn’t want to update. I had to install media go to buy the games on sale I wanted. I should not lose access on a forced firmware update that has numerous known bugs.

  • I will continue to enjoy my console without fear :)

    gg

  • so what happens when you deactivate someones console who didnt hack it? You left the door open..

  • yeah!! modern warfare 2 is very very bad :/ come on scea. fix it ..

  • Well done Sony. I figured u guys were working on something to discover the jailbroken PS3’s. The first step was to no longer allow updates to be downloaded. It’s a hassle for those that aren’t internet enabled but who isn’t these days?

  • No more trophies.
    Not more PS Home.
    No more friend lists.
    No more game connectivity through PSN servers.
    No more add-on content.
    No more update patches/fixes for your existing games.

    Use circumvention devices and this is what you will lose.

    I imagine this could effect Netflix, Hulu, VUDU, MLB, NHL accounts and the internet browser as well.

    @cart0onnightmare:
    The difference between “playing stupid” and “being” stupid…blanket statements such as yours.

    Kudos, Sony, for setting a high price for piracy.

  • my friend played modern warfare2 lastnight and this hacker had bullet proof on plus he was making the server go super fast and then super slow? we said what the heck? i have the game also but i have not played it since i bought black ops.
    Cheaters online has got to be the worse thing! why would you do that? Is it because you suck and that’s the only way to get a high score?
    I read things like this “Sony taking Action” and i love it.
    To sony i say keep it up, it’s not a battle. It’s a war!

  • So, if Sony want’s to stop the firmware hackers, they need to stop putting the updates on playststion.com, the only way you can mod the firmware is to use a computer, no dl it to your computer, mo modding the firmware, simple

  • Nice job Sony – let the banning begin…

  • As the Rock says, “Finally!” I’m proud that the PlayStation.Blog has finally taken notice of the recent articles in the gaming press. It looks like George Holtz is in for a very tough battle with Sony’s lawyers.

  • Sony u have to look at micro$oft and how the ban people. If u do that say bye to your hacking problems

  • Finally SONY!!! Ban them!!!

  • i want to know why sony never issued this for our psp…
    there’s been hackers on the psp for the longest time in which sony didn’t do anything but just update…

    Sony never cared for us psp users…
    so should we actually buy the NGP…. what if sony ignores the ngp just like they did the psp…

  • I hope I read articles around the web about thousands of bans soon. Go get ’em!

  • Go get them Sony!!! Sick the Helghast and the Chimera on their sorry [DELETED]!!! 8)

  • BREAKING NEWS (TO $ONY) A team of Devs from many countries (including ex members of Dark_Alex team) are laughing their ass off right now and preparing a walk around to the attempt of baning consoles.

  • hahah there going to start banning consoles like xbox lol

  • Good on you sony! Kick them out!

  • please ban the cheaters Sony, I don’t want Twisted Metal to be ruined online.

    Just like the grief reporting on psn you should be able to report cheaters.

  • Good move Sony, good move!

  • Thank you sony, nothing ruins a great online gaming experience then hackers thats one of the main reason i stopped playing online games on my pc. I love my ps3 and have no problem paying for the games i get on it i currently own 55 disc games and 54 downloaded games 6 mini’s and about 7 ps1 games and im glad sony is stepping up and dealing with the scum out there who think its great to be able to hack their systems. take them all out sony your doing a great job

  • twisted metal ps3 blows its all about twisted metal 3 and 4 lol woo

  • KILLZOUND 3 RULES MAN…AND JUST 22 GIGADOLLARS..LOL

  • i own 12 ps3 games 28 ps1 games and 36 ps2 games and of course 16 psp games

  • sony should also go after the sites that promote hacking there are several out there ps3-hacks psp-hacks and im sure there are several others out there go sony

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