If you are not familiar with the term “jailbreak” that is a very good thing. For some, the news that they read about a jailbreak usually sends them looking to replace the looks on their homes. In the technology world, in short, it means that you are going to break through the original operating system to get access to raw files allowing you to modify your mobile device. A jailbreak has been available for just about any smartphone made since 2010, but now it might be moving to gaming consoles.
According to at least one developer, a PS4 Jailbreak is possible through a kernel exploit and this might be news that Sony wants to keep an eye on. The exploit was found in the software version 1.76 for the Playstation 4 while the developer was messing around with it. The developer, known as CTurt posted on Twitter that the exploit was found and that is going to open a new world for gaming.
Apple is one company that has been exploited the most when it comes to jailbreaking devices and even though the company has the more secure device, a jailbreak is announced with every new version of software. The side effect of jailbreaking any device is that it will void any and all warranty, or simply “brick” your device, rendering it completely useless to you or anyone. There is no word whether that will happen with a PS4 Jailbreak, but there is reason to think it would if done improperly.
Gamers that might want to get their hands on a PS4 Jailbreak would be doing so in order to get access to the PS4 so they can play older games and maybe even games that are not normally played on the console. Getting access to raw files, a developer could load their own software and allow the PS4 to play custom software giving the gamer more options. Even though the PS4 Jailbreak would be a very risky move, it is not going to stop developers from using it and in some cases, might even boost sales of the Sony Playstation.
If the developer announces the PS4 Jailbreak and releases the instructions on how to do it, others that want a custom game console are likely to head to the store to pick one up just to try it out. Sony is aware of the exploit and is certainly going to release a patch that will fix the issue, but now that the console is in the targets of developers looking for that exploit, it is going to be done from this point forward. The rumors have also indicated that a jailbreak has been accomplished for the Nintendo Wii U, but not for the Xbox One yet.