New PlayStation 4 Hacks Enable Game Mods And Emulation
Sony’s PlayStation 4 may boast a slew of interesting features, but those in the hacking and coding community have seen a different kind of potential in the gaming hardware. This is evidenced by the progress made in making multiple new tools for cracking the system’s official firmware. A recent series of PlayStation 4 hacks have taken advantage of these advancements, opening up the ability to load backups of both PS4 and PS2 games.
According to Spanish website ElOtroLado, a new “homebrew enabler” called PS4HEN has been able to bypass the PS4’s defenses, allowing the potential for many external applications to exist on the system. Another set of tools called PKG Kitchen takes advantage of this vulnerable environment by enabling modified .pkg files to be installed, opening the door for digital game backups and apps to be unofficially written. In simple terms, a hacked PlayStation 4 can now run game backups directly from the console.
Those hoping this means PlayStation 2 is included in the mix are in luck. A second toolset called Free PS2 Pub Gen brings the ability to backup PS2 games to PS4HEN systems. Not only can it run games already backward compatible on PS4, but other titles such as Klonoa 2: Lunatea’s Veil have been reported working without previous official support. This may be great news for those who’ve been impatiently waiting for Sony to build up their backward compatible PS2 library, as it lets users build up their own digital collections.
One of the major requirements for these PlayStation 4 hacks is that the system must be running 4.05 or below of the official Sony firmware. That means those running the current 5.05 update will be met with no response upon attempting to crack the console. This doesn’t mean a more inclusive tool won’t make itself known in the future, as advancements are being made a fairly regular basis.
What do you think? Are you impressed that the hacking community is making progress with Sony console, or are PlayStation 4 hacks like these just a shady way to enable piracy? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Don’t Feed the Gamers on Twitter to be informed of the latest gaming and entertainment news 24 hours a day! For more hacking news from recent weeks, check out these next few stories:
Eric Hall2712 Posts
Phone-browsing Wikipedia in one hand and clutching his trusty controller in the other, the legendary Eric Hall spreads his wealth of knowledge as a writer for Don't Feed the Gamers. Be sure to catch his biweekly "Throwback Thursday" segment for a nostalgic look at trivia from the past.
