Why This Star Wars Game Sells for Hundreds
▼ Summary
– PS5 hackers have discovered a jailbreak method for the upcoming system update 12.00 that requires a physical PS4 copy of *Star Wars Racer Revenge*.
– The exploit works because this specific game port has an unpatched vulnerability, dating back to its 2002 PS2 release, that allows code injection.
– The physical edition was a limited release from 2019 by Limited Run Games, with only about 8,500 copies in existence, making it scarce.
– Demand has caused the game’s resale price to surge dramatically, with copies now selling for over $200 on sites like eBay.
– The situation has created a rush among hackers, collectors, and resellers to acquire the game before its price increases further.
A relatively obscure Star Wars video game is now commanding prices of several hundred dollars on the secondary market, and the reason has nothing to do with its nostalgic racing gameplay. Instead, a community of PlayStation 5 hackers has identified a critical vulnerability within the game’s code, making a physical copy an essential tool for a new jailbreak method. This unexpected demand has transformed a once-common collector’s item into a rare and expensive commodity overnight.
The situation centers on a PlayStation 4 port of Star Wars Racer Revenge, originally a 2002 PlayStation 2 title. Hackers have discovered that this specific 2019 re-release contains an unpatched security flaw. This exploit allows a user to inject custom code into the system, which is the foundational step for a jailbreak. The method is reportedly effective against Sony’s upcoming 12.00 system software update for the PS5, creating a surge of interest from those looking to modify their consoles.
There’s a significant catch, however. The physical PS4 edition of Racer Revenge was produced in a very limited run by Limited Run Games, a company specializing in small-batch physical releases for digital titles. According to available data, only approximately 8,500 copies were ever manufactured and sold. The game has been sold out on the publisher’s site for years, forcing all new demand directly to resale platforms.
The immediate result has been a dramatic price inflation on websites like eBay. Within a single day of the jailbreak news spreading, the cost for a used copy reportedly quadrupled, with listings now regularly exceeding two hundred dollars. The market now pits dedicated console modders against video game collectors and opportunistic resellers, all competing for the same extremely finite pool of available discs.
For individuals interested in modifying their PS5, the window to acquire a copy at a reasonable price may have already closed. The combination of a verified technical exploit and extreme scarcity has created a perfect storm, turning a forgotten port into one of the most sought-after and valuable games on the current market. This incident highlights how niche technical communities can inadvertently upend collecting economies, with a simple Blu-ray disc becoming the unlikely key to unlocking next-generation hardware.
(Source: Kotaku)
