Sony is making life harder for anyone running a jailbroken PS5. Since mid-October, consoles on firmware older than 14.10 can no longer sign in to PlayStation Network, and owners of modified systems now face a simple choice: update and lose the jailbreak, or stay on old firmware and play offline. At least one ban has been reported, and fresh reports suggest traces of a hack can survive a console reset.
The fallout reaches past the homebrew crowd. Anyone buying a used PS5 right now could end up with a console that was modified by its previous owner.
How the PS5 Jailbreak and Sony’s Response Unfolded
The cat-and-mouse game moved fast over about four weeks.
| Date (2026) | What happened |
|---|---|
| September 16 | Firmware 14.00 released, breaking the Byepervisor Reborn hypervisor bypass |
| September 29 | The Relapse jailbreak goes public, working on firmware up to 13.60 |
| October 1 | Firmware 14.10 (build 26.06-14.10.00) released with unnamed security fixes |
| October 7-8 | A jailbroken PS5 in Turkey reportedly gets a PSN suspension |
| October 13-16 | Outlets report PSN enforcing 14.10 as the minimum version |
| October 25 | iXBT.games, citing Kotaku, reports forced updates and hack traces surviving resets |
It worked on every firmware version except 14.00, and Reddit users said it could run recent games like Marvel’s Wolverine. Two days later, Sony shipped 14.10. We covered what that update changed in our PS5 26.06-14.10.00 patch notes, though Sony’s own changelog only mentions general security and stability fixes.
What Happens to a Jailbroken PS5 Now
The key change is on Sony’s servers. Modified PS5 consoles can no longer connect to PSN without firmware 14.10. A post on the r/ps5homebrew subreddit showed even consoles on 14.00 being refused.
Being stuck offline costs more than it sounds. Here’s what owners on older firmware lose:
| Feature | On firmware 14.10 | On older firmware |
|---|---|---|
| PSN sign-in | Works | Blocked |
| Online multiplayer | Works | Blocked |
| PlayStation Store | Works | Unavailable |
| Cloud saves | Works | Blocked |
| Digital games needing license checks | Works | May fail to launch |
| Offline play | Works | Still works |
Sony isn’t forcing the update onto consoles or stopping them from booting. It is closing the door to online services until the firmware is current. Over the same period, the Overdrive homebrew app, an unofficial storefront that listed game backups, vanished. Notebookcheck suspects a cease-and-desist from Sony, although clones showed up soon after.
Are Jailbroken PS5 Consoles Getting Banned?
At least one reportedly has been, but there’s no evidence of a mass wave yet.
The clearest case came from an unofficial Turkish PlayStation group in early October. A user connected a jailbroken PS5 to the internet and reportedly lost access to PSN on both the console and the account. A screenshot shared on X showed error code WS-116332-6, which says the console’s access has been “temporarily or permanently suspended.” The original post was later deleted.
The newest report, from the Russian site iXBT.games on October 25 and credited to Kotaku, describes a Reddit user whose console demanded a system update before restoring PSN access. iXBT.games says information about a jailbreak is stored at a low system level and stays there after a console reset. It also says plainly that “a mass ban campaign by Sony has not yet been confirmed.”
So the picture is mixed. Most jailbroken consoles are being pushed to update, not banned outright. One individual ban has been reported. Sony hasn’t said anything publicly about either.
Why This Matters if You Buy a Used PS5
This is the part that affects regular players. If the reports about jailbreak traces surviving a reset are accurate, a factory reset won’t make a modified console clean. A buyer could pick up a second-hand PS5 that was jailbroken by its previous owner and run into PSN trouble later.
A few simple checks help when buying used:
- Ask the seller to sign in to PSN on the console in front of you, or test it yourself before paying.
- Check the firmware version under Settings, then System, then System Software. A console sitting well behind 14.10 is a warning sign.
- Run a system update before you hand over the money. If the update fails or the seller refuses, walk away.
- Buy from retailers or marketplaces with a return window when you can.
Used prices are already high ahead of GTA 6, as our look at whether a used PS5 Pro is worth it for GTA 6 shows. Paying a premium for a console that can’t go online would be a bad deal.
GTA 6 Raises the Stakes for Jailbreakers
Timing matters here. Data mining suggests GTA 6 will require firmware 14.10 when it launches on November 19, which we reported earlier in GTA 6 blocks PS5 jailbreaks with a mandatory firmware update. Anyone holding out on 13.60 to keep the Relapse jailbreak won’t be able to play the biggest release of the year without updating.
The scene isn’t standing still either. TechPowerUp reports that firmware 14.10 has been jailbroken in private, while the hypervisor protection is still holding. Until a public exploit appears, jailbreak users have to choose between their mods and online play.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a jailbroken PS5 still go online?
Only if it runs firmware 14.10. PSN refuses sign-ins from older versions, and updating to 14.10 removes the Relapse jailbreak.
Is Sony banning jailbroken PS5 consoles?
There is one widely reported case of a permanent PSN suspension, from Turkey, with error code WS-116332-6. Sony hasn’t confirmed a mass ban wave, and most affected users report being forced to update rather than banned.
Does a factory reset remove a PS5 jailbreak?
According to iXBT.games, citing Kotaku, traces of a jailbreak are stored at a low level and aren’t removed by a reset. Sony hasn’t commented on this.
What PS5 firmware does the Relapse jailbreak work on?
Relapse works on firmware versions up to 13.60. It doesn’t work on 14.00 or 14.10.
