The PlayStation 2 is over 20 years old, but still hard to hack if you want to run home games without modifying the hardware. Usually you have to install a modchip, buy a specially configured memory card or even open the system to block the sensors of the disc reader. However, it could be just a matter of using the disks to trick the console. Security software engineer CTurt has developed a homebrew application method that exploits the function of the DVD player to execute unofficial code. The approach involves corrupting the key functions in the files that DVD movies always contain, and then loading a more advanced second stage that is not limited like the first.
The technique is still young, but it already works reasonably well. You just need to put a disc in the PS2 drive and wait for it to load. You can even launch into a menu to choose from multiple games stored on a single disc. It also suggests opportunities to allow unofficial games on other systems: CTurt believes this could work for other PlayStation models. That may not be an option for a long time when some PS5 models don’t include disk drives, but it does raise hope for those wanting to expand their game collections with unofficial titles.
