Reports are surfacing this morning that an open source alternative to PSJailbreak has been released, the alternative is called PSGroove and is available to download from github, a code distribution platform. The software is available for anyone to download free of charge, giving users the ability to compile the code and transfer it to a compatible USB device like the AT90USBKEY, or its alternatives.
PSGroove is basically a clone of the PSJailbreak exploit that has rocked the PlayStation world over the past couple of weeks, however PSGroove contains some important changes from its cousin, mainly that the code which enables the PS3 to ‘backup’ games to an internal or external HDD has been removed meaning that PSGroove won’t enable users to play a backup of a game. What remains is the ability to for users to run unsigned code on normal PS3 an ability which has only previously been available to ‘debug PS3s’ used for games development. This opens the door for homebrew development on the PlayStation 3.
The open source nature of PSGroove means that anyone is free to download the software and modify and improve its code anyway they want, including releasing it as an off the shelf, commercial product. Having the code exposed in this manner also proves there is no Sony copyrighted code or hardware used in the triggering of this workaround. That being the case it’s difficult to see how Sony will be able to combat this legally, something which could have a huge bearing on Sony’s current legal efforts to clamp down on the PSJailbreak resellers.
Source: Digital Foundry.
Severn2j
An interesting aside to this that I read this morning is that this also proves that no copyrighted code from Sony was used to make the exploit, which could have repercussions for Sony’s legal challenges in getting the sales of the original PSJailbreak blocked.
Charmed_Fanatic
Not good, but also good … many advans and disadvans to homebrew
Gaztee
If it was just for home brew than that’s fine, anything else is bad!
DJ-Katy
Very good. I’m glad. Because it means I can code interesting stuff for the PS3 like I used to do for the Wii – which is within my legal rights.
The article is a bit inaccurate tho, the backup code hasnt been removed – it wasn’t in PS3Jailbreak in the first place. It is a separate pkg file (unsigned code) download, and downloading and using that will work the same on PS3Groove. So their functionality is no different.
Harinero
Are Sony still selling consoles at a loss? Legal/ethical considerations aside, this is bound to sell one hell of a lot of PS3s.
Not that I’m advocating the silly conspiracy theory that Sony are actually the ones behind all this, just so they can sell more consoles. Like someone above said, the first “homebrew” to be developed for this will be one that brings back the possibility to play pirated games. The second and third ones, in no particular order, will be emulators for older game systems and an .mkv player.
Just trying to look for the silver lining here.
cc_star
I’m 110% sure it is nothing more than coincidence that Sony have broke even or maybe making a small profit on each unit sold at the same time that this dev mode exploit breaks out in to the wild.
Selling a few more consoles to nefarious types who then wouldn’t buy PlayStation games would be very damaging to Sony’s profit line and would endanger 3rd party support for console, further damaging the viability of the PS3.
The reason its so bad for Sony is that its basically plug n play, with the megadrive, ps1, ps2, wii & 360 you need to do work on the circuitry and modify it in some way, this technical knowledge means it only had a limited effect and that excluded 99% of the customerbase, but something as simple as plugging a device in and booting up whilst holding the eject button is the worse thing that could have happened to Sony and 3rd part devs and maybe in the long run all ps3 owners
gazzagb
Surely this is good news? Homebrew is brilliant, it doesn’t harm the industry at all and brings small, fun games to the PS3.
DJ-Katy
Giving people less incentive to buy from PSN if the games are rather good.
But that’s Sony’s fault for not providing an open platform in the first place.
Bladesteel
So sony; Can you put back other-os now so that I wont have to jailbreak my ps3 when it’s eventually replaced by a slim or a ps4?
colmshan1990
One fact comes up.
If Sony can take away ‘Other OS’ in a bid to combat piracy, then they will have few problems in developing a firmware that only recognises specific Sony codes from a USB interface, which can be copyrighted by Sony.
They then make the firmware mandatory, and voila, instant block on the ‘legal’ exploits. After that, it’s off to the courts they go.
Deathbrin
You mean Sony should only support official Sony-marked flash drives like MS did?
SmokeyPSD
argh. I would like my freaking linux back now please.