Posted Jul 24, 2007 at 09:13PM by Ceasar S. Listed in: PSP Tags: Sony, Jack Tretton, Hackers, Patrick Seybold
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Homebrew community to get some Sony love - image by Gizmodo - Image 1


IGN's Greg Miller, venerable reviewer, editor, PlayStation team member and all-around awesome guy - perhaps the guy of sorts you'd want to review your own PSP homebrew game - offered to send a few questions straight to the big three of Sony Computer Entertainment, getting the official and unflinching lowdown from the likes of CEO Jack Tretton, senior manager Patrick Seybold and senior director Dave Karraker on your deepest (and apparently heated) questions on anything and everything Sony-related.
 
And guess what? A question regarding official homebrew game support by a lucky lad named caterman was apparently selected by Miller and sent to Sony. Though many would have thought Sony would have worn its Gauntlets of Oppression +10 for this segment of the email Q&A, the games division of arguably the world's largest consumer electronics brand wasn't exactly the homebrew antagonist we possibly all felt they were.

In fact, they've expressed a lot of interest in homebrew, especially after witnessing a lot of output over the PSP scene. "We certainly see some of the stuff that has been done via homebrew, and it's incredibly creative. And I think we'd like to try and tap into that a little bit more," said Jack Tretton.

But with all things great, this does come with a condition. Dave Karraker said that in order for Sony to support homebrew software, they've got one main hurdle to cross: how to open the PSP so that enough freedom is given to the homebrew developers, without compromising the handheld's security to third-party intrusion.

How so? Imagine a handheld device, open without restrictions and accessible over wireless connection - an invitation to aspiring hackers. Miller himself states, "You know some hacker wants to brick your baby for fun," and we can't shake the feeling that while not evident, it's completely plausible. And then there's the malicious software option - or installing compromising code into your PSP - which for quite a while has been plaguing the Windows platform for generations on end.

And heck, just for kicks, you'd want to find out how vulnerable you are from potential hackers, too. You'd probably be so curious, in fact, that you'll attempt to hack your own PSP through someone else's. So the concern over security is probably mutual and thus understandable. Sony doesn't crackdown on homebrew as the belief would popularly go; they crackdown on hacks and hackers.

But then it all boils down to how much work would Sony need to make it all happen, after all is said and done. We'd estimate a lot of time is needed, but with support from the best of the best in the homebrew scene, it would slice the time frame favorably.

Such a collaboration would also help Sony become familiar enough with the innards of homebrew development and even open up avenues to some more interested freeware developers (the PC kind, myself included) to try their hand at handheld game development.

We know that this probably raised more than a couple of eyebrows among the most loyal of the PlayStation Portable homebrew movement, but hearing this from the top three guys who'd chew anything that stood in their way (Redmond armies included), this must be especially promising. If it's anything sincere, we'd hear more on this as time rolls on.

Many thanks goes to Mr. Snorlax for the big tip off!


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   by W.Ankeee *****EEE (Unregistered) - 2007-07-25
 » tutvcnbgfb

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   Re: Shannon (Unregistered) - 2007-07-25
 » huh?

are you the one who sent the reply to my original post?
   by Blasco (Unregistered) - 2007-07-25
 » Bull*****

I think this is nothing but bull*****. Sony doesn't want the HB community pissed at them considering that HB users are the ones who buy two PSPs(one safe with OFW and one hacked with CFW) and they don't want to lose those hardware sales. Sony is just playing nice to get the community to buy more units. Sony would never allow homebrew because they could get in major trouble with the GBA and N64 emulators.

   by Blasco (Unregistered) - 2007-07-25
 » Bull*****

I think this is nothing but bull*****. Sony doesn't want the HB community pissed at them considering that HB users are the ones who buy two PSPs(one safe with OFW and one hacked with CFW) and they don't want to lose those hardware sales. Sony is just playing nice to get the community to buy more units. Sony would never allow homebrew because they could get in major trouble with the GBA and N64 emulators.

   by Lawful123 (Unregistered) - 2007-07-25
 » PSP 3.52 M33

PSP 3.52 M33 is now out QJ.

   by 8008135 (Unregistered) - 2007-07-25
 » woohooo

yes FIRST! TAKE THAT DANNY PHANTOM

   by rafi (Unregistered) - 2007-07-25
 » --

sweetness =)
they can make like a homebrew loader like how a snes rom has a game loader thing, but built into that would be that 1 app that checks a homebrew if it has access to flash so then ppl also wont brick ur psp thru homebrew.

   by well... (Unregistered) - 2007-07-25
 » o.k. one thing.

Dont' flame me or anything but I think SCE is just covering thier ass with freguent fw updates. Look at it this way...

If sony did nothing about the growing homebrew community , sony could be help liable for selling products that dont' have any security what so ever. In other word ppl wouldn't by a psp to play games, they'd buy it to do something illegal. So sony covers their ass in case someone brings up a class action suit against the company for selling " terrorist " equipment. as rediculous as is sounds, there are even more ridiculous ppl that will do just this. plus the even stupider ppl that will put this !@#$ on the news. ( fox ) and in todays world, everything is terroist!

then again, this senario implies that sony has a heart and cares. Which ins't the case because we all know that corporations are just heartless money machines. so, I digress.

sony just want's money....

   by Advertising -
   by lol (Unregistered) - 2007-07-26
 » lol

let your kids get lumines and watch the feds pull up into your driveway.
and i gave them your email.


   Re: whatever (Unregistered) - 2007-07-26
 » doubtful

I was kidding about the feds. I think they are a little more interested in terrorists than with my kids pirating some stupid games. I'm not some techy who even gives a ***** about "homebrews' and sony and all that crap - I just am trying to make my kids happy. Sorry I can't chime in on your postings - but I have no idea what you are talking about. May as well be speaking latin.....I'd understand that better. I'll just go pay some high school techy to rig my kids PSP and be done with it. THANKS ALOT PEOPLE.
   by haha f u sony (Unregistered) - 2007-07-26
 » Lols

sony yoou have already prevented me from haveing homebrew to time's now when finally dax give me oe on 82 i free and i wannt to keep it that way

dont leet sony fool us!

the only thing that one make me want me to go back to ofical firm wud be skype eVean tho i cant sese theres no going back when you install oe on 82

   by Anti First Post, with something to say.. (Unregistered) - 2007-07-26
 » Wow!

Anti first post sucks unless they have something to say well here I go.
Great, sound awesome but I don't like the fact that this will never happen, due to hackers like they said. Or it WILL happen, but will have to go through Sony first, and power-hungry Sony will probobly make you have to buy the PS3 and use the marketplace or something before you can download it.

   by PSP homebrew boy (Unregistered) - 2007-07-26
 » Homebrew yes piracy no

Yes home brew is good and all and thats what makes the psp famous but I have to agree on sony on this one. Ive seen people hack other psps through their PSP. I believe sony should allow some home brew delvolpers but not piracy.




Why cant sony be more like Nintendo. ALLOWING Home brew.



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