Sony Computer Entertainment has released a statement regarding PlayStation 3 circumvention devices and pirated software. It's what everyone expected it to be: if Sony finds out that you have cracked your PS3, you'll get banned from the PlayStation Network and will not longer have access to Qriocity services. The only thing that surprises us is that it didn't come sooner.
Sony says that by identifying PS3s that breach its guidelines and terminating their ability to connect to PSN, the company is protecting its business and preserving the honest gameplay experiences that the rest of its community expects and deserves. The electronics giant emphasized that this message does not apply to the overwhelming majority of its users who enjoy the console without breaching the company's guidelines. It urges these gamers to "continue doing so without fear."
Sony is still threatening to sue anybody posting or distributing PS3 jailbreak code. The company is demanding that a federal judge order Google and Twitter to surrender details of anyone who looks at the illegal content. This is despite the fact that Sony accidentally tweeted the PlayStation 3 security key last week.
Sony's legal attacks against the hackers that released the PS3 root key and custom firmware began last month. The group known as fail0verflow is accused of posting a rudimentary hack in December 2010 after finding security codes for the PS3. It was refined by GeoHot weeks later when he independently found and published the PS3 root key. The resulting hacks allow homebrew apps and pirated software to run on unmodified consoles.
The full statement regarding said cracking is below:
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.