Digital rights management for PSP games purchased from PlayStation Store decrypted

tidus04 | April 06, 2008 | News | Playstation 3 Playstation Portable

Have you brought a Playstation Store Network game with the intentions to play it on the Playstation Portable and then wanted to share that game around with other friends on there Playstation Portable but can't because they are coded..?

Well it has now been found that hackers have found a way to do this and this is by (of course) decoding the encryptions that have been set by Sony on the downloaded games so now you are able to play them on any Playstation Portable without anything stopping you.

Seems some clever coders (or hackers, whatever you want to call ‘em) have figured out a way to decrypt PSP games bought from the PlayStation Network Store. The code can only be applied to PSP games that work on said PSP (like, if you buy a PSP game then you can decrypt it using your PSP), but once the game has been decrypted, it can be played on any PSP running a custom firmware.

I must say, once you hack the PSP and have access to its large library of [largely] so-so games, the system becomes a lot more valuable. This weekend I’ve been playing the Grand Theft Auto games, biding my time until GTA IV comes out, as well as Final Fantasy Crisis Core, which, I know is good, but I feel a little weird playing the prequel to a game that came out when I was 11. I’m a lot more likely these days to throw a controller across the room then figure out how to beat Emerald Weapon or how to properly breed a golden chocobo.

We’re probably a bit overdue on a “how to hack your [system]” feature here. I’ll put it on my list of things to do.

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Comments

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1 thumbs!
jmac353 | April 07, 2008

I love the PSP. Yes I do. Yes I do. I love the PSP. YES. I. DO.

Okay, the fact that I was playing FF Crisis Core on my 4gb stick today, and earlier was playing Silent Hill Origins and God of War on that same stick just yesterday. Then to be playing Super Metroid and all the Mario Brothers on another 4gb stick along with the PS1 titles MGS (dual disc eboot), MGS VR Missions, Dino Crisis, and Tekken 3. (I own all the games separately, but being able to play them all and transport them around via tiny 40 dollar memory sticks rocks) Well, it's just *bleep*ing amazing.

The PSP is stellar.
0 thumbs!
Catboy14 | April 07, 2008

I don't get this, probably because I don't have a PSP. But what I get from this is that now PSPs can play all PSP games? Shouldn't it have been like that in the first place? Or does this bypass region coding or something (I am not sure if the PSP has that).
- 0 thumbs!
  Xenctuary | April 07, 2008
  
  This is a article about the encryption on PlayStation Portable games bought from the PlayStation Store being broken. Usually the downloaded title is locked to a single console (like a purchased song with DRM).
  - 0 thumbs!
    Xenctuary | April 07, 2008
    
    I've also edited the title from "PSN: PSP's Games Decrypted and Can Be Played On Any System" to save any further confusion!
0 thumbs!
theundertakergonzo | April 07, 2008

Well this is going to be a downard hill for the psp if they don't manage to fix this up somehow. This is going to result in alot of people not buying the games and reducing sales dratsically.
- 0 thumbs!
  jmac353 | April 07, 2008
  
  I could understand why this would look like that to the uninformed person (no offense) but what if I told you for the past couple of years you could download any PSP game ever released as well as every PS1 game playable on the PSP for free through various methods?
  
  Yeah, this isn't new for PSP. The same way I play my bought games on memory stick is the same way these other guys download and install these games they've never paid money for on their PSP.
  
  This isn't going to affect sales AT ALL. The PSP has actually done better in the recent times since all of these homebrew breakthroughs.
  - 0 thumbs!
    StarJet | April 07, 2008
    
    quote
    This isn't going to affect sales AT ALL
    On which planet do you live? If everyone started Dling pirated games, how would game companies survive?
    - 0 thumbs!
      Dark Dom | April 07, 2008
      
      They wouldn't, but the fact is that not everyone pirates games. I myself own 17 PSP games and I really only download PSX games because most of them can't even be bought anymore. Until 100% of the gaming world downloads PSP games, the companies are safe.
    - 0 thumbs!
      StarJet | April 07, 2008
      
      Even if 50% started DLing pirated games, the companies would still be at a big loss. Don't you think?
    - 1 thumbs!
      Xenctuary | April 07, 2008
      
      But this article isn't about the already bustling PlayStation Portable piracy scene. It's merely stating that purchased titles though Sony's digital distribution routes can now be unlocked for play by anyone. Those games are likely already ripped and spread over the internet anyway.
    - 0 thumbs!
      Existenz | April 07, 2008
      
      No, PSP owners love how open the console is, yes they can download PSP games but they choose not to, if anything its losing other companies money, i mean Nintendo emulators, anyone could download some Gameboy Advance games for it or N64 games, PSP owners only use the security pitfalls to get games that wouldn't normally be available for the system.
    - 0 thumbs!
      jmac353 | April 07, 2008
      
      I guess you didn't read all of my post. Piracy on the PSP greatly outnumbers all the people that legally buy their games. This isn't going to affect sales AT ALL. I stress again.
      
      They'll stay the same because the sales have already been affected by piracy. It's that simple to understand. Come on now guys. I'm not asking for much. Just some simple comprehension skills and me not having to spell everything out for you.
0 thumbs!
Krunal | April 07, 2008

I take it that you can't play them on any PS3 yet.... or can you? If you could play them on any PS3 (i.e. copy them) then that would be a great achievement
- 0 thumbs!
  tidus04 | April 07, 2008
  
  Going by this article and other articles I have seen around, nothing has mentioned it but I wouldnt be to surprised if it is currently being worked on.
-1 thumbs!
slumpy monkey | April 07, 2008

Yea. I can get games for free on my psp anyway. But I choose not to because im kinda like that and its good for the industry.

But this doesn't come as great news. Whenever sony makes a new firmware for the psp some hacker just finds a way to bypass it. PLus with them focusing on ps3 more now , It will be easier to hack.