Lumines unlocks homebrew on firmware 3.50

by Andrew Yoon { Jun 23rd 2007 at 10:35PM }

Homebrew on PSP systems with firmware 3.50 was thought to be impossible ... until now. An exploit was found in the classic puzzle game, Lumines, that allows a Hello World application to run on the system. Users must download a special program, and install it on the Memory Stick. When launching Lumines, the exploit will be taken advantage of.

This is a huge win for the homebrew community. Most likely, downgraders will be created to take advantage of this exploit, which will allow all modern PSP owners to revert to a homebrew-capable firmware. Most likely, Sony has already heard about this exploit, and is working on a new firmware to ensure too many people won't be able to take advantage of this flaw.

[Update: Now included a video, via MAXCONSOLE]
[Thanks, Merc25!]

Tags: 3.50, exploit, firmware, homebrew, lumines, noobz

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Xarek @ Jun 23rd 2007 10:58PM

That is amazing. I knew there was other games besides GTA LCS that could run unsigned code.

3.50 downgrader... homebrew ftw.

rockeranimefreak @ Jun 23rd 2007 11:23PM

on behalf of the homebrew community i welcome you 3.50 users to the REAL SOCIAL :)

Paul @ Jun 23rd 2007 11:33PM

What I really want to know is...what about Lumines 2?

TheGuy @ Jun 23rd 2007 11:48PM

Sweetness. After a downgrader gets set-up from this exploit, Sony will have to think-up of a really good feature to get people to upgrade to a higher firmware with this exploit patched. As long as we have homebrew, we'll be able to continue pressuring Sony to make the most out of the PSP's software and hardware.

HOMEBREW FTW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

kingofwale @ Jun 23rd 2007 11:52PM

wait, FW 3.5 is already out? man, that was quick, yeah, Homebrew community is KILLING Sony. why don't Sony just give up with all this, they aren't gonna win here. Just lie down and accept that most people want to run programs they want on the machine they bought legally. If Sony isn't smart enough to provide all the apps. let the users and community do it.

NoBullet @ Jun 24th 2007 12:11AM

You guys actually think the majority of people downgrade just to use some homebrew program, and never pirate games? Good grief...

PSP-Rising @ Jun 24th 2007 12:54AM

so called homebrew I am sure exists but the vast majority utilize homebrew to pirate games. This is a big reason for developers to make an inferior POS game for the DS as they know they will get there money out of it. I know there is some real cool homebrew out there as well I but game piracy is far and away the biggest draw for users.

kingofwale @ Jun 24th 2007 12:55AM

>You guys actually think the majority of people downgrade just to use some homebrew program

and you actually think you are capable of contradicting that by backing up with solid data?

Oh, "My friend pirate games because he has OE" does not qualify as "solid data".

It's like saying people who likes hiphop are more likely to commit crimes. Nothing short of ignorance.

PSP-Rising @ Jun 24th 2007 1:02AM

kingofwale

you want proof? if you look at ANY BIT TORRENT site that has games you will ALWAYS see PSP games and the high traffic grabbing them, you can check traffic on Emule EDonkey and you will ALWAYS see many many many users downloading them. Gee you want solid data, gimme a break, WTF? you going to take a damn survey asking people if they Pirate???? It's pure ignorance to assume this is not a huge thing that is done.

kingofwale @ Jun 24th 2007 1:11AM

>if you look at ANY BIT TORRENT site that has games you will ALWAYS see PSP games and the high traffic grabbing them,

wow, that's it, Solid evidence right there. evidence provided by TORRENT site, what do you want to throw out next? Prison survey?

let me make it clearer. here's the quote you need to back it up "majority of people downgrade just to use some homebrew program"

>you can check traffic on Emule EDonkey and you will ALWAYS see many many many users downloading them.

and one more thing, looks like you're MORE guilty of this than anybody here. How about you stop pirating before accusing other people? it's people LIKE YOU who ruin OE for the rest of us. Give yourself an round of applause.

Torrent site has NOTHING to do with downgrader. and frankly, you don't even know who those people are who downloaded torrent.

PSP-Rising @ Jun 24th 2007 1:24AM

guilty? You obviously don't know what the hell you are talking about. The point I was making id that you can't really get solid proof that people pirate games on the PSP.

"Torrent site has NOTHING to do with downgrader. and frankly, you don't even know who those people are who downloaded torrent."

No kidding, you miss the POINT AGAIN, the torrent site is where they get the PSP games. People can use torrents for a hell of a lot more than piracy, many valid companies and devlopers utilize BT to get there software out there. You have no choice to see what all is out there on these Torrent sites and even you could not miss seing the PSP games listed there everyday.

"and one more thing, looks like you're MORE guilty of this than anybody here. How about you stop pirating before accusing other people? it's people LIKE YOU who ruin OE for the rest of us. Give yourself an round of applause."

Using these sites if you knew what the hell you was talking about makes me guilty on nothing, and shows how ignorant you are when it comes to this.

I bet you have pirated as many games as you can on for the PSP, but I need to have as you say it Proof, well it's just my word as is it yours when you babble and rant on about something. Users that read it can take it or leave it, normally I leave it.

Give yourself a round of appluase for your self imposed ignorance.

kingofwale @ Jun 24th 2007 1:29AM

wow, have to lower yourself to the level of accusing other people of pirating? Lol, do I need to remind you that you have 0 evidence of me or anybody else here as regarding to pirating games?

>you can't really get solid proof that people pirate games on the PSP.

Hence EXACTLY why you don't make stupid claims like "majority of people downgrade just to use some homebrew program". Amuse me here for a second, what part of that don't you get?

You don't open your mouth and make claims unless you can back it up. You don't say most people who use OE are pirates, and you don't accuse me of pirating games when you have NO proof.

It's a sad thing to see you losing your credibility. anybody else here you want to accuse of pirating games? How about Colin? or Andrew?

Sean @ Jun 24th 2007 1:55AM

woah, Calm yourselves my brothers, let's stop this whole blame game of who pirates games and who doesn't. Anyways, all we gotta do now is wait for the downgrader. I'm Buying Lumines tommorrow.

merc25 @ Jun 24th 2007 2:20AM

Sony has a major problem on their hands now, because this was the first killer app the PSP had, was rated E, and is now dirt cheap. All these factors cumulate up to is a game that can be bought by anyone(unlike GTA:LCS which was rated M), there won't be the price gouging we have seen of the unpatch GTA:LCS due to how much time transpired between the game initial release to the finding of this exploit. A major problem with the GTA:LCS exploit was, it was found so early in the life cycle of the game, which made it less pervasive than it could have been. Sony and T2 rapidly worked to fixed it, which made the unpatched version in high and limited finite supply, the result price gauging. The high price and limited possibility of finding one, are strong deterrents of would be cfw users. Lumines is at $20 at most, a much more reasonable price, and it would take considerable amount of time for the supply to run low.

This is Sony's worst nightmare come to fruition.

mnemo @ Jun 24th 2007 3:42AM

That is REALLY funny. Exploit for all versions on the day I put my PSP and Lumines up on eBay. D'oh! :-P

NotAFanboy @ Sep 14th 2007 10:45PM

It's okay PSP-Rising, I agree with you :)

"Also, I forsee 2 years from now, homebrew industry will be able to fix up PS2 games (take out the analog stick function) and be able to port them unto PSP..

now, it's up to Sony to beat the homebrewers to this and take up this multi-million dollar business that would otherwise lost to piracy completely.

I mean, if someone has the software that can play my FFX, FFXII, RE4, DMC3 on my PSP, I'm willing to pay BIG bucks for it."

Anyone that says that on a psp web site should be banned for being dumbass.

rogi11 @ Jun 24th 2007 4:46AM

so does it mean this is way to downgrade your PSP from 3.50 or any other firmware to 1.00 and then to homebrew?

Saigon @ Jun 24th 2007 4:12AM

@kingofwale

You don't believe that most homebrew users pirate games? Lol, I can't believe you're asking for proof. What's sad, is you're probably a pirate yourself.

shanedude333 @ Jun 24th 2007 5:51AM

That's really cool, but I'm not sure what homebrew firmware could really offer me more than a good chance of bricking my poor little pal.

zetsurin @ Jun 24th 2007 6:27AM

Ok, let's just get something straight here.

PSP-Rising - smart.
kingofwale - dumbass.

kingofwale YOU ARE IN DENIAL. Grow the hell up!

CyborgSPIKE @ Jun 24th 2007 6:36AM

wow fell the love here!

anway, i got lumines for 30 bux not too long ago, and until now has been collecting dust. but now i can hello the world from it and am very happy! cant wait fora downgrader, cuz im on 3.5. i just wanna play FFVII on my psp!!!

daniel-kun @ Jun 24th 2007 6:47AM

PSP-Rising, there's a huge pirating-scene for the DS, too. Most of the DS-owners I know bought a chip to play pirated games, and lots of them.

kingofwale @ Jun 24th 2007 7:44AM

>You don't believe that most homebrew users pirate games?

Actually I don't, and this goes for RIAA and MPAA too, people who steal are the MINORITY of the group. Sure, having OE does enable the ability to pirate games, but doesn't mean it's its ONLY benefit, I'd be like me accusing everyone who has a DVD/CD burner to stealing/making illegal copy of CD/DVDs.

>I mean, if someone has the software that can play my FFX, FFXII, RE4, DMC3 on my PSP, I'm willing to pay BIG bucks for it."
I believe the SMARTEST thing anyone said, if I remember correctly, isn't that what's Sony PS3's 'contineously play' is all about in a nutshell? Whoever said that must have some great vision for the future.

Codesrcool @ Jun 24th 2007 2:35PM

Okay, a couple of people are saying this is bad and the end of the PSP, I don't know if you know but...
the DS is totally pwned... it is totally open and you can get DS games from the internet so easy.. even easier then you can get PSP Games, so yes I think alot of people do it for the homebrew and extras like MP3 listening while internetting, making screenshots, ect. ect.

topflight1 @ Jun 24th 2007 11:01AM

so after i install this and set it up, then what? I have no idea what to do as i'm new to this scene. i run emulators on my computer but how do i run them on the psp?

Calvin @ Jun 24th 2007 11:11AM

Holy wahck-a-moly. I'm getting a copy ASAP. Now i can do all the homebrew stuff i want to do like turning the clock-speed up to 333mhz in all games. =] 'Tis a good day in homebrew history.

Yashamaru @ Jun 24th 2007 11:25AM

I have something to say.

I have used homebrew ever since I got my PSP. ALso, I use Custom Firmware. So does this mean that I am a pirate? Yes I download SNES games and I downloaded warcraft 2 for the PS1. But that doesn't mean I pirate games. Because I owned all of them that I downloaded. So what if people are downloading PSP games. Because most of them probably don't know how to run them or they don't have the right firmware. And though there are those who do pirate, it isn't as high as you may think. Mostly because a lot of the newer games that have came out lately have been over 1 GB. Who, would want to fill up there memory stick with a 1 GB PSP game enough to download it from a torrent and possibly end getting something they didn't want. I wouldn't. Also, PSP-rising, why would you be on a torrent site? You may say you don't pirate PSP games. But, there are plenty of other things to pirate. Such as movies that are in theaters or even adult oriented films. SO before you accuse us homebrewers of pirating, make sure you don't basically give away the fact that you yourself are indeed a pirate.

Ratchet the Lombax @ Jun 24th 2007 11:21AM

Well I do get a few games to play on my PSP via the memory chip but all of them are copies of the ones I already own. I know that might be a little on the grey side of legal but oh well Sony or whoever got my money for the game so having a copy of it on my chip isn't hurting anyone. Since I can't play two copies at the same time.

Anyway I don't really play many PSP games too much anymore. I will fire up Burnout Dominator or Ratchet & Clank SM every once in a while. But otherwise there aren't many games I really want right now. I mostly just use the countless emulators and get my game on that way. I love having every game made for just about every old school system on one portable device. And if getting ROMS is wrong then I really don't care because I don't care what anyone thinks of me and I don't have to answer to anyone.

Nick @ Jun 24th 2007 12:45PM

so, this sounds good and all since i've got 3.4 and i've been trying to find a way to get homebrew on here...but i also have that IC1003 mobo, so does that mean i still wouldn't be able to downgrade without bricking?

vR @ Jun 24th 2007 12:15PM

What has the comment section of our site become?

Soccer moms pointing fingers at others in all of their holier-than-thou glory? It reminds me these wonderful Scientologists SCREAMING at others asking them what their crime is. It's pathetic, and it's a poor way to feel good about yourself.

And that's all it is, because that's the only benefit you receive from it.

PSP-Rising @ Jun 24th 2007 1:42PM

Yashamaru

Torrent are not just for pirating by no means. If you used or frequented them then you would know this. You state
"So what if people are downloading PSP games." that is stupid, it hurts the PSP in the long run. The system won't survive without games and developers will develop less and less when they know users like you will just pirate them. You can call it a gray area or whatever you want but it's dishonest and a lie and you are a thief for doing so. Like I stated earlier there are some cool things to do with homebrew but pirating PSP games is only going to hurt the system.

LoyalistRevolt @ Jun 24th 2007 3:15PM

Not that many people hack there psp only like 3% of the psp users do so....and so what if they do its not illegal, Just sony will not pay for anything if you mess it up.Also I'm pretty sure that out of that 3% of people that downgrade more than half pirate games ever heard of a site called pspiso.com?

TioSolid @ Jun 24th 2007 3:59PM

Enabling piracy or not.. one thing is sure:

They will have to buy at last one original game. :)

http://www.newsinside.org

mmendoza27 @ Jun 24th 2007 4:33PM

Well, it could possibly take weeks for them to get a downgrader up and running, right? I just bought the game today and there was only one left available. Not bad for $12. I too have a IC003 mobo, would I still be able to downgrade? I'm searching google for more info.

merc25 @ Jun 24th 2007 5:06PM

PSP-Rising: kingofwale is right. There are now statistics on how many systems have homebrew, nor how many those pirate PSP games.

But some reasonable can be made with this however:
http://playstation.joystiq.com/2007/05/17/sgs-07-sony-releases-latest-sales-statistics/

merc25 @ Jun 24th 2007 5:07PM

The missing word, from my previous post, was "conjecture."

Yashamaru @ Jun 24th 2007 7:09PM

wow a lot of dumb people came to comment on this release, yes many losers can run iso using OE thats is true, but you forget the biggest thing. Most PSP games suck.. psx and all the emulators have way more and better games. and that's just games there is way more to homebrew then just emulators.

Yashamaru @ Jun 24th 2007 7:26PM

PS: you do know this hack is only usermode, so no downgrader or isos..just a fyi for you people talking about people that pirate games.

h0mi @ Jun 24th 2007 7:28PM

The lack of sales of PSP games (or low attachment rate) given the large # of psps sold suggests that piracy is rampant on the PSP. That's just a reality sony will have to deal with, and IMO it suggest theyre going to need to reduce the price on games to sell more games. I wont buy any games at $35. $25? Maybe. $20? sure.

Yashamaru @ Jun 25th 2007 12:52AM

l0l someone using my name..kinda funny I only did the last 3 posts.

bmsinc @ Jun 24th 2007 7:38PM

@ PSP-Rising & kingofwale

You BOTH need to stop playing PSP so much and pay more attention in school. This way you can both learn how to spell, use proper grammar, and THEN you can start to formulate arguments against one another. If you're talking about credibility as a factor - neither one of you can form a cohesive sentence that holds any theoretical weight. I'm actually bored of this now...

flame on...

kool_absol @ Jun 24th 2007 7:48PM

Joy to the world, as homebrew has come. Now we have a great exploit....hmmm, hmm, hmm, hm, hmmm, hmm, hmmm, and let there be psp's for all.

kingofwale @ Jun 24th 2007 8:20PM

>THEN you can start to formulate arguments against one another.

yeah, because it was lack of grammar that was the cause of the debate. Maybe this is hard for such a square to understand, but PSPfanboy, it isn't exactly a literature forum. No, we don't discuss Shakespeare here, we discuss games.

Sorry, If I want you to grade my post, I will ask next time. Why don't you be a teacher someday? especially when being anal seems to come so naturally to ya. ;)

PSP_Evolved @ Jun 24th 2007 8:54PM

Kingofwale
We are in agreement on this....

PSP_Evolved @ Jun 24th 2007 8:58PM

kingofwale: I am in agreement with you on this point

bmsinc: Gee teacher, if you actually have something intelligent to add then I am all ears, but if you have nothing better to do than to critique posts for gramatical errors maybe you need to get a life....or worse get back to playing Pokemon on your DS

merc25 @ Jun 24th 2007 10:41PM

h0mi, you are assuming like the rest of them. You assume that everyone uses the PSP as primarily a gaming system. I know several people that use it as a dedicated music player and I know talked to one person that mainly uses it as a movie player.

Twitchy @ Jun 25th 2007 8:04AM

I'm interested in being able to downgrade and then install an OE FW so that I can run that map programme and use the official Sony GPS receiver for it. I live in New Zealand and the market is too small for Sony to develop map software for us, so it's up to me to find a way to make it work.

Oh, and before some smartass comes with the 2just buy a GPS unit" comment, the PSP mod costs less than a 5th of a similar unit (i.e. big colour screen), and on how many GPS units can you play Killzone: Liberation?

Please stop making assumptions in regards to the prevalence of piracy in the PSP scene.

Juan @ Jun 27th 2007 1:36AM

That One Mexican

Finally a downgrader, I have been waiting so long 4 this. Im gonna go straight to the store tomarrow morning to buy it.

I needed this cuz I accidentally upgraded my psp to 3.30 thinking I was upgrading to 3.03 where the downgrader was possible. Thats what I get for not paying to much attention to numbers lol, oh well, wont happen again.