A newly discovered jailbreak method for the PlayStation 5, dubbed "Relapse," could significantly increase the risk of game piracy on the console. This exploit is reportedly compatible with all PS5 firmware versions except for the most recent one, version 14.00.00, which was released less than two weeks ago. This broad compatibility means that a substantial number of PS5 consoles, including those recently purchased and not yet updated, are vulnerable.
The significance of the Relapse exploit lies in two key factors. Firstly, it allows access to consoles that have not updated to the latest firmware. This means any PS5s, including the newer PS5 Pro models, that have remained on shelves for more than a couple of weeks could be susceptible. The exploit works on PS5 systems running firmware versions up to v26.05-13.60.00, which was released in late July. Given that many modern PS5 games require an up-to-date system firmware to launch, this jailbreak could allow pirated versions of games released before the v14.00.00 update on September 16, 2026, to be played.
This poses a particular problem for recently released titles. For example, Marvel's Wolverine, which launched on September 15, could be among the affected games. Reports suggest the Relapse exploit can be implemented in under a minute. Beyond Marvel's Wolverine, users on the r/PS5_Jailbreak subreddit have indicated that The Witcher 3 Remastered, released on the same day as the v14.00.00 firmware update, can also be run using the Relapse jailbreak. While Sony is expected to release a new firmware update to patch this vulnerability, it remains unclear how the company can fully mitigate the impact on games and updates that have already been released and are now accessible via the exploit.