Scene websites have revealed earlier today that mod stores started accepting preorders for the PS4 MTX Key. This hardware modification of the PS4 will allegedly allow people to share games with an unlimited number of friends.
What is the PS4 MTX Key?
The PS4 MTX Key is an upcoming hardware modification for the PS4. It allegedly allows groups of friends to share games between their PS4s with no limitation. In other words, one of your friends buys a (digital) game on the PSN through a shared account, then the whole group can play the game on their own PS4.
Playstationhax reports that some PS3/PS4 scene veterans have confirmed the device is legit.
The only difference between gamesharing and piracy is that initially, one of the users in the group needs to buy the original game, which can then be shared with a potentially unlimited group of friends.
The catch is that gamesharing through these devices apparently involves sharing the original account’s password, so it requires a strong amount of trust between the people sharing the games. Such a constraint will obviously limit the impact of the device on Sony’s business, but could still be a good deal for group of friends willing to play for cheap. That being said, it’s pretty sure Sony will do whatever they can to prevent the spread of such devices, included closing the accounts suspected to infringe on gamesharing.
It’s worth mentioning that Sony officially allows gamesharing, although with limitations to 2 accounts (3 with this technique). There’s no question that using such a hardware modification is a breach of the PSN Terms and conditions, combined with copyright infringement. Gamesharing, due to the limitations mentioned above, is probably less damaging than widespread piracy, but will still be considered as such in the eyes of manufacturers.
Google-translated versions of the Chinese original manual for the PS4 MTX Key are circulating. Here’s that English doc (thanks to playstationhax for the mirror upload) which kind of give you a hint on how the device will work, and confirms the risks associated with password sharing on the account.
At an announced price of $60 to $90 depending on the store, this does not sounds like an expensive device. If anything, it is less expensive than going through shops in Brazil and other places that used similar techniques but would only share the end result (a console filled with games) rather than how to reproduce the technique.
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