In response to the recent high-profile case against PS3 hacker George Hotz, and to reiterate just how much it doesn't want you to mess with your system, Sony has issued a statement saying in no uncertain terms that if you run pirated software on a PS3, you're dead to it.
"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," wrote SCE in the statement.
It goes on to declare that violating these terms not only ends the PS3's warranty, it's a violation of International Copyright Laws, and will end something more significant than your warranty:
"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."
Very simply put, if you are found playing any sort of illegitimate games on your PS3 - which Sony can track if these games take your console online - you will never be able to access the PlayStation Network again, unless you buy a new PS3 and sign up for a new PSN account (or find some other way to circumvent the perma-ban).
Jeff Rubenstein at the PlayStation Blog reassured the average gamer, saying, "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."
Feb 16, 2011
