Star Wars Racer Revenge, a forgotten game, has seen its price skyrocket because it's being used as bait to facilitate piracy on PS5.

Starting early 2026, a massive stir has ignited among PlayStation fans and the gaming industry: a new breakthrough in PlayStation 5 system hacking. While PS5 piracy has technically existed for some time, it has remained niche and unpopular. Most users who run pirated games on the PS5 keep a low profile, discussing it only within private circles. This contrasts sharply with overseas scenes, where hackers often flaunt their successes. This openness stems from past legal rulings stating that creating hacks isn't a crime, as the console is considered the owner's personal property to do with as they wish. Consequently, PS5 hacking abroad is seen as more commonplace. Most recently, a discovery revealed that the PS5 can be exploited using the game Star Wars Racer Revenge, causing the price of its physical discs to skyrocket

For those unfamiliar, the process of hacking a PlayStation 5 to play pirated games is formally known as "jailbreaking." This refers to the process of modifying a device's operating system to remove restrictions imposed by the manufacturer, granting users deeper access to system files and the ability to install third-party applications. Jailbreaking a PlayStation 5 is significantly more complex than it was during the PlayStation 3 and 4 eras. A major hurdle is that the console must run on an older firmware version. As most users know, connecting the console to the internet triggers an automatic update to the latest firmware. This means that to maintain a jailbroken state, users are strictly prohibited from going online, which was one of the primary complications for early adopters of PS5 piracy

However, a new exploit known as "mast1c0re" now allows hackers to jailbreak the console via the 12.0 firmware series, which is currently the latest version (as of early 2026). But mast1c0re comes with a significant catch: you must own a digital copy of Okage: Shadow King (the PS4 version of the original PS2 game). Since this game is only available digitally, you cannot download it without signing into the PlayStation Network. This creates a dilemma: connecting to the network forces a firmware update, which would typically patch the exploit—unless you already had the game installed on a version 12.0 system beforehand. This makes it nearly impossible unless you had the foresight to buy and install the game prior to the latest updates. Because mast1c0re exploits Sony's own PS2 emulator, the ultimate goal for hackers is to develop a version that works via physical PS2 discs on PS4 and PS5. In short, owning Okage: Shadow King is currently the essential "gateway" for this method

Now, to the main point of this article: on December 31 (2025), a member of the PlayStation hacking scene named Gezine posted a video of the PS4 physical edition of Star Wars Racer Revenge being used to jailbreak a PlayStation 5. What makes this special is that an internet connection is no longer required; simply inserting the disc allows users to perform the mast1c0re exploit. As soon as this news broke, the price of Star Wars Racer Revenge discs skyrocketed instantly. Some copies are now being listed for $300 , with some reaching as high as $400

As the game became highly sought after, retail websites like Resell Calendar—which happened to have dusty copies lying around—quickly sold out. They estimate that there are currently no more than 8,500 copies of Star Wars Racer Revenge in the entire market. If you're wondering how Gezine knew to use this specific game for the exploit, one guess is that they likely saw the announcement of the sequel, Star Wars Galactic Racer, at The Game Awards and decided to experiment with the older game for jailbreaking purposes. It worked, and they quickly shared the discovery with everyone. The price of the Star Wars Racer Revenge disc is now highly coveted by everyone

Now, let's think hypothetically: you spend tens of thousands of Baht on a Star Wars Racer Revenge disc just to play pirated games on your PlayStation 4 or 5. Some might argue it's worth it, provided you can live without an internet connection or online features, and if a game has bugs, you're stuck with them because you can't download a patch. But don't forget, if Sony finds a way to patch the mast1c0re exploit tomorrow, that money you spent is instantly gone. Wouldn't it be better to just buy legitimate used games or wait for a sale? You won't die if you don't play a game on launch day, the first week, or even the first month it comes out. Think carefully about whether it's truly worth the cost

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