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PlayStation Classic hacked in less than a week to play games via USB drive

By Gabe Gurwin December 11, 2018

Sony’s plug-and-play PlayStation Classic system hasn’t gotten the warmest reception since its launch earlier this month. In addition to including the slower PAL versions of several of its included games, nostalgic titles like Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon are nowhere to be found. However, hackers have already managed to crack the system, allowing additional games to work on the console via a USB drive.

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According to Ars Technica, shortly after the system was released, hackers managed to identify a software security key located on the system, and realized that the system doesn’t perform a security check when booting up. This means that it’s relatively easy to load additional files onto it using an external drive, and GitHub pages detailing files to use and the steps for adding more games have already been set up. One program called BleemSync temporarily adds the games to your system, though it removes access to the original games until the external drive is unplugged.

It’s not as perfect a solution as the one for the NES Classic and SNES Classic, but it will, at the very least, give PlayStation fans more to play on their new system. Of course, the legality of this is questionable, with Nintendo, in particular, asserting that downloading a ROM is illegal, even if it’s for a game you already own.

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One of the PlayStation Classic’s other issues is its ridiculously short controller cord length, perhaps inspired by Nintendo’s own Classic systems. As the controllers use a standard USB plug, you can purchase extension cables cheaply, and accessories company 8BitDo is also selling a wireless adapter that allows you to use a DualShock 4 controller instead.

The PlayStation Classic’s missing games were likely influenced by recent remasters, such as Spyro Reignited Trilogy, but the source code for the system appears to suggest several other games could have been installed. These include classics like Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 and Silent Hill, both of which would have been welcome on a console that reserved space for Cool Boarders 2.

The PlayStation Classic is available now for $100, though you will need a separate AC adapter to use it. In our review, we called it “a cute collectible, but not a great gaming machine.”

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…

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Hopefully, there’s more on the way in terms of new AAA VR exclusives from first-party studios, as well as much-demanded ports like Half-Life: Alyx. Already announced PSVR2 games like Journey to Foundation and Synapse could also use release dates. A PlayStation Showcase is the perfect time for Sony to put out a clear road map for PSVR2’s future game library, just as the September 2021 PlayStation did for PS5. Give me a reason to strap on that headset yet again.
Flesh out the system’s 2023 exclusives lineup
PS5 needs a strong lineup for this fall as well. With the exception of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, things look pretty barren for PS5 this year after the launch of Final Fantasy XVI. Several previously announced PS5 games still lack concrete release dates and could arrive in the second half of this year. It’d be nice to get a clearer picture of Sony’s PS5 game lineup for the rest of the year; hopefully, it includes titles like Stellar Blade, the Silent Hill 2 remake, Lost Soul Aside, Death Stranding 2, and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.

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Before my PlayStation VR2 arrived at my doorstep last week, my experience playing in VR was minimal. I'd reported on the industry and its games for years, but my actual playtime in a headset was limited to an Eve: Valkyrie demo at a GameStop ahead of PlayStation VR's launch, a couple of demos at trade shows, and one 15-minute session of Phantom: Covert Ops on Meta Quest 2 while hanging out with a friend.
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Strapping in
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