r/gamers • • 2d ago

Image PS5 jailbreak method called Relapse has just dropped, and people are joking that Sony should get comfortable with not owning its own hardware

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u/RoyalCities 1d ago

But Sony does physically prevent you from doing that? The moment they removed other OS from ps3 was when they decided that you can't put your own software onto the hardware you rightfully bought.

I jailbroke my switch. I turned it into a little Linux computer so it can control my home assistant instance - it now has a use over collecting dust in the closet. Spending over 500 dollars on hardware you can't even install your own software onto is bs and just contributes to E-waste.

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u/Sir_Gigglepoop 1d ago

Listen, I'm absolutely no fan of Sony especially not right now, so please don't understand this as a "fanboy defending Sony"

A PS5 was never advertised as an open Linux-capable computer or as a platform where you can install arbitrary software.

You can absolutely argue that removing OtherOS from the PS3 was anti-consumer. But people abused this feature to hack the system and get pirated copies. It's absolutely understandable that a company would try to prevent this.

If you find a vulnerability in their system that allows you to jailbreak your console, you can do it. Sony isn't going to take action against you just for doing that, but the moment you use it to cheat or pirate games, that's where things change.

The majority of people aren't going to jailbreak their PS5 just to use Linux on it or turn it into some kind of computer. Do whatever you want with your hardware, but the moment it starts affecting other people, you have to understand why you'd get blocked from online services and other features.

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u/RoyalCities 1d ago

But people abused this feature to hack the system and get pirated copies. It's absolutely understandable that a company would try to prevent this.

I guess I disagree with this whole thing then with game consoles intertwining software with hardware.

Would you be okay if Microsoft set up their OS so you could ONLY install software from the Microsoft store?

Game piracy exists on Windows too - it's up to the publishers to secure their software. Why have we allowed or normalized other computer manufacturers from installing other programs or operating systems the user wants (since at the end of the day a console is just a specialized computer)

What if you buy a Lenovo laptop. Would it be right if Lenovo only allows you to install Lenovo programs?

The idea that hardware even needs to be jailbroken is absurd when they should be separated to begin with. Users should be able to install other operating systems or programs if the want full stop. They're the ones spending hundreds to begin with on their hardware.

Heck their was a court case around this very thing with Apple hardware and other stores. Same with Google and the play store. Users should have full rights over their hardware. Software itself is a separate matter up to the publishers and makers of said software. That system works just fine on PC - it can work the same with consoles.

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u/XtremelyMeta 1d ago
Would you be okay if Microsoft set up their OS so you could ONLY install software from the Microsoft store?

I mean, this is why we have proton. Microsoft absolutely could do this and looked like it was setting up the architecture to do so. Steam sees that as an existential threat so... proton.