According to Polygon, a group of hackers claims to be close to a PlayStation 5 jailbreak using a highly specific entry point: the PlayStation 4 disc version of a 2002 game, Star Wars: Racer Revenge. This 2019 re-release by Limited Run Games originally retailed for just $14.99. The exploit, which allegedly cannot be patched, involves running the PS4 disc on a PS5 to inject code. The rumor has caused a frenzy, with physical copies now selling for around $250 or more on sites like eBay, and retailers like Amazon are sold out. Limited Run Games, known for not reprinting sold-out titles, has not commented, while fans beg for a re-release. The digital version is still available cheaply on the PlayStation Store, but it cannot be used for the jailbreak method.
The Perfect Storm for Price Gouging
This is basically a scalper’s dream scenario. You’ve got an exploit that targets a single, physical piece of media. That media was produced in a limited run by a company called Limited Run Games, whose entire business model is artificial scarcity. And the end goal is jailbreaking a current-gen, notoriously secure console. It’s a perfect recipe for the prices we’re seeing. Opportunistic resellers aren’t just guessing—they’re reacting to a real, if unverified, demand signal from a dedicated hacking community. And because the supply is literally finite, the price has nowhere to go but up until the hype dies down or the exploit is proven fake.
Why *This* Obscure Game?
Here’s the thing that’s kind of funny. Star Wars: Racer Revenge isn’t a classic. It’s a decent enough PS2 port with a 73 Metacritic score, but it’s no system-seller. Its main claim to fame was a weird permadeath mode for your rivals. So how does it become the linchpin for a PS5 jailbreak? It almost doesn’t matter. These exploits often hinge on incredibly specific, overlooked bugs in software that nobody paid much attention to. The hackers, as shown in tweets like this one, found their opening in an old game’s code. It’s a reminder that in complex systems, the weakest link can be the thing everyone forgot about.
The Bigger Picture for Gamers
For the average player, this is a weird spectator sport. Most people just want to play games, not hack their console. But these jailbreak rumors highlight two constant tensions in gaming. First, the desire for open platforms and homebrew software clashes directly with platform holders’ need for security and piracy prevention. Second, the collectible physical media market is incredibly volatile and driven by niche communities. Someone who bought this game for $15 four years ago just hit an unexpected lottery. Meanwhile, someone else is now paying $250 for a disc that is, for any normal purpose, functionally identical to a $15 digital download. It’s a bizarre economy.
What Happens Next?
So, what now? The ball is in a few courts. The hacking community will either prove the exploit works or it’ll fizzle out. If it’s real, Sony will likely scramble, but if the claim that it’s unpatchable is true, that’s a massive deal. For Limited Run Games, they’re facing loud demands to reprint a title, which goes against their core promise. Do they break their model for this? Probably not. And for the resellers? They’re gambling. If the jailbreak is confirmed, prices could go even higher. If it’s debunked, that $250 disc instantly becomes a $25 paperweight. My bet? We’ll see a lot of very anxious people watching Twitter for the next few weeks, and a few very happy folks who just happened to like podracing.
