The PlayStation 5 hacking scene has seen a flurry of activity recently, signaling a promising start to the year for jailbreak enthusiasts—and a unexpected windfall for owners of the physical PS4 edition of Star Wars Racer Revenge. This specific title has become the centerpiece of a new exploit targeting PS4 and PS5 hardware, causing its market value on sites like eBay to skyrocket almost overnight.
While jailbreaking Sony’s latest consoles has been possible for some time, most methods come with significant limitations, usually requiring the console to remain on very old firmware. However, a newer exploit known as mast1c0re has changed the landscape by allowing hackers to operate on more modern 12.0 firmware. This breakthrough opens the door for many more users to modify their systems.
Despite its potential, the original mast1c0re method had a major hurdle: it relied on the PS4 digital version of Okage: Shadow King. Because you cannot access the PlayStation Store to download games without updating to the latest firmware, anyone who hadn’t already installed the game was effectively locked out of the exploit. For those seeking to jailbreak a console on 12.0, the digital-only requirement made the process nearly impossible for the average user.
The solution lies in Sony’s PS2 emulator. The “holy grail” for the community is a version of the exploit that works via a physical disc. A disc-based game can be installed on a PS4 or PS5 without an internet connection, bypassing the mandatory firmware updates required by the PSN.
mast1core based on disc game CUSA03474. This was the 12.00 dup exploit that was teased. Will release code after polishing more. Happy new year scene. pic.twitter.com/mskPXHQQ0b
— Gezine (@gezine_dev) January 1, 2026
This is exactly what has been achieved with Star Wars Racer Revenge. On New Year’s Eve, a prominent developer in the scene named Gezine shared a video demonstrating the mast1c0re exploit running through the 2002 racing title. While the public release of this specific code is still pending, it represents a far more accessible gateway for console modification.
However, there is a significant catch: the physical PS4 version of the game was a limited release handled by Limited Run Games. Because the game is no longer in production and only an estimated 10,000 copies exist, the sudden demand has completely outstripped the supply.
Before this discovery, copies of Racer Revenge typically sold for roughly $30. Since the news broke, sales volume and prices have surged dramatically. Some copies are now selling for as much as $300, with several listings appearing for $400. Collectors who picked up this title years ago are now finding themselves in possession of a high-value asset, all fueled by an exploit that isn’t even fully available to the public yet.
The jailbreak community received even more good news recently. The tail end of 2025 saw the leak of PS5 ROM keys. As industry experts note, this leak could pave the way for even more sophisticated hardware exploits and custom firmware in the future, potentially making the jailbreaking process simpler and more powerful than ever before.
While several new Star Wars projects are currently in development, it’s safe to say Sony would prefer they didn’t involve the modification of their hardware security.
