PS Vita Finally Hacked To Run Homebrew Software

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Astonishingly, early in its life hackers were able to take the PSP and bypass the security measures Sony had incorporated into the handheld preventing unofficial software from being run on the system. It took the machine beyond it being “just a handheld console” and sent it in a direction that noone expected. Almost immediately, a wealth of “homebrew” appeared ranging from games to apps, but most importantly the retro gaming community took the PSP to their hearts as it became the defacto platform for retro gaming as a myriad of emulators were released allowing gamers to use the PSP to play games for almost any console released before it.

In contrast, the PS Vita has proven to be impossible to break and all attempts by hackers to achieve the same results have failed… until now. As has been reported elsewhere, the coding group Team Molecule have developed software called HENkaku which can be installed on the PS Vita directly from their website. Once installed it can allow any compatible software to be added to the Vita including a range of emulators for a diverse range of consoles.

It’s not without its limitations or complications. HENkaku needs to run its installer each time you turn your PS Vita on and want to use and form of homebrew, transferring files to the PS Vita needs to be done by connecting the console to a PC via ftp rather than using a cable and Content Manager and most importantly the Vita can not be upgraded beyond the current version of the System Software – 3.60 as it is extremely likely that Sony Interactive Entertainment will find a way to counter this hack very soon.

Most significantly, the developers have said that it has not been their intention to design HENkaku to run pirated software on the PS Vita and as such the console can still only run official and homebrew titles. It’s certainly an impressive feat and some of the titles already coded are going to open up a whole new world of opportunities for the system. Infact, there is already a new wave of enthusiasm growing for the Vita, especially amongst the retro gaming community who are seeing the console in a new light. Perhaps this could be the start of the Vita’s second wind?

We’ll go into more detail about HENkaku and the software available in the near future, but for now you can find out about the software for yourself at https://henkaku.xyz/

Post Updated: 3rd August 2016

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About Simon Plumbe 1089 Articles
Husband, father and lifelong geek. Originally from the West Midlands, now spending my days in South Wales with my family and a house full of animals. Passionate about video games, especially retro gaming, the Commodore 64 and PlayStation Vita. Love pro wrestling, sci-fi and I'm an animal lover and vegetarian. Enjoyed this and my other articles? Why not buy me a coffee: http://ko-fi.com/simonplumbe

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