Quite a turn around, Sony issued warnings to jailbreakers one day and starts banning consoles in the next.  Do note that Sony’s ban-wave only involves consoles that have Custom Firmware installed AND went online to the PSN store.

Sony Computer Entertainment’s warning email contained the following statement:

Notice: Unauthorized circumvention devices for the PlayStation 3 system have been recently released by hackers. These devices permit the use of unauthorized or pirated software. Use of such devices or software violates the terms of the “System Software License Agreement for the PlayStation 3 System” and the “Terms of Services and User Agreement” for the PlayStation Network/Qriocity and its Community Code of Conduct provisions. Violation of the System Software Licence Agreement for the PlayStation 3 System invalidates the consumer guarantee for that system. In addition, copying or playing pirated software is a violation of International Copyright Laws. Consumers using circumvention devices or running unauthorized or pirated software will have access to the PlayStation Network and access to Qriocity services through PlayStation 3 system terminated permanently.

To avoid this, consumers must immediately cease use and remove all circumvention devices and delete all unauthorized or pirated software from their PlayStation 3 systems.

Reports from users denote that Sony seems to have a master list of hacked consoles, a compilation that indicates Sony has been flagging systems that run homebrew (or are jailbroken) since the very first PS3 hack appeared (remember the PSJailbreak) and they’re using this list to sweep the PSN clean.  Again it’s quite a turn around as Sony has been very lax about the hacking and cheating.  The PSN-wide ban is reminiscent of what Microsoft is doing with the Xbox (ban the console, retain the account).

Some modders/homebrew-ers report getting a message that reads, “you cannot use the PlayStation Network with this account (8002a227)” (the screenshot above). Less fortunate folk have received the following email:

Notice: Access to the PlayStation(R)Network and access to Qriocity(TM) services through your PlayStation (R)3 system has been terminated permanently due to the use of unauthorized circumvention devices and unauthorized or pirated software on your PlayStation(R)3 system.

This use violates the terms of both the “System Software License Agreement for the PlayStation(R)3 System” and the “Terms of Services and User Agreement” for the PlayStation(R)Network/Qriocity(TM) and its Community Code of Conduct provisions. In the unlikely event that this termination was in error, contact your local consumer support centre.

What do you guys think of Sony’s PSN-wide ban? Are you happy to finally see Sony step up with the PS3’s security, or do you believe users should be free to do whatever they like to their systems?