[Free-sklyarov-uk] Sony destroys the PSX and PS2 mod market

[Jason Clifford]

On Thu, 13 Dec 2001, phil hunt wrote:

> > Sony has just effectively destroyed the market for modchips for their
> > consoles by issuing threats of legal action against the producers of
> > them.
> 
> What's a modchip?

It's a chip inserted into a device (in this context into a games console) 
to modify it's standard behaviour - typically to enhance the device to 
allow extra functionality.

Sony and other console vendors have long practised region locking on these 
consoles and the most common use of a modchip is to permit the owner of 
such a console to enjoy the games that they have lawfully 
purchased/imported from other regions - usually the US region as that is 
the only way to play games as they were designed to be played. The 
transfer from NTSC to PAL typically alters the visual dimensions of a game 
as well as distorting the sound.

Because the owner of a console is it's owner - they are not licensed they 
are purchased - the owner has a legal right to do as they please with it 
including modifying it to bypass such region restrictions.

Sony's move is rather unexpected as they have been aware of modchips for 
the platstation platform for over five years and have chosen not to act 
until now.

Sony content, I expect, that this is in response to piracy as due to 
Sony's refusal to release any technical data for the PSX/PS2 platforms 
there is no way for a modchip to distinguish between a 1st generation game 
and a copy. It's worth remembering that as games are software in many 
parts of the world the law specifically includes the right to make a 
backup copy - it's rather like the CD issue in that regard.

Jason Clifford