Back before running commercial PS4 games as package (PKG) files on retail PlayStation 4 jailbroken consoles was a 'thing' in the scene, PS4 gamesharing and PS4 modchips surfaced which led to some Russian sites selling modified PS4 consoles that blatantly included packs of pre-loaded and activated games ready to play. 
Fast-forward to 2018... Sony appears to finally be catching on, as according to mainstream media outlets Engadget.com, Kotaku.com and TorrentFreak.com Sony Interactive Entertainment recently filed a copyright infringement / DMCA lawsuit (sonycomp.pdf / Scribd Embed) against California hacker Eric David Scales (aka Blackcloak13) for selling jailbroken PS4 consoles loaded with bootleg games on both eBay and his own Website.
Here's an excerpt from the TorrentFreak article on the news, to quote: “Defendant is an individual who has marketed, sold, and distributed ‘jailbroken’ PS4 consoles that: (a) contain ‘p!rated’ (unauthorized) copies of PS4-compatible video games, and (b) were produced and designed for purposes of, and/or were marketed by Defendant for use in, circumventing technological protection measures,” the complaint reads.
Sony ordered two devices online and found that they were indeed ‘as advertised.’ The PS4s were modified to run an unnamed exploit which effectively circumvents the technological protection measures that normally prevent people from playing p!rated games.
“The exploit enables the PS4 console sold by Defendant to play the 60+ unauthorized copies of video games that are contained on its hard drive,” Sony writes.
With its lawsuit, Sony hopes to obtain an injunction ordering the defendant to stop any infringing activity and to destroy all jailbroken or “modded” PS4 consoles, hard drives, and games.
In addition, the game company requests damages for copyright infringement and for violating the DMCA by circumventing the PS4's technological protection measures.
To our knowledge, this is the first jailbroken PS4 lawsuit, and it's likely that Sony wants to set a clear example. With several first-party PS4 games being mentioned in the lawsuit, the potential damages run to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Update: According to the proposed default judgment (scales.pdf) and Sony's full memorandum (scales1.pdf) obtained by TorrentFreak.com, Sony Interactive Entertainment is now requesting $16,800 in damages from the California man (who failed to respond to the accusations) they accuse of selling jailbroken PS4 consoles filled with backup games for violating the DMCA's anti-circumvention provisions.
Update #2: In a default judgment they now report the Federal Court sided with Sony, ruling (scalesorderdefault.pdf) that the man's activities violated the DMCA's anti-circumvention provisions.
As a result, the California man has been ordered to pay $16,800 in damages to Sony Interactive Entertainment for selling jailbroken PS4 consoles filled with copied games.
Fast-forward to 2018... Sony appears to finally be catching on, as according to mainstream media outlets Engadget.com, Kotaku.com and TorrentFreak.com Sony Interactive Entertainment recently filed a copyright infringement / DMCA lawsuit (sonycomp.pdf / Scribd Embed) against California hacker Eric David Scales (aka Blackcloak13) for selling jailbroken PS4 consoles loaded with bootleg games on both eBay and his own Website.
Here's an excerpt from the TorrentFreak article on the news, to quote: “Defendant is an individual who has marketed, sold, and distributed ‘jailbroken’ PS4 consoles that: (a) contain ‘p!rated’ (unauthorized) copies of PS4-compatible video games, and (b) were produced and designed for purposes of, and/or were marketed by Defendant for use in, circumventing technological protection measures,” the complaint reads.
Sony ordered two devices online and found that they were indeed ‘as advertised.’ The PS4s were modified to run an unnamed exploit which effectively circumvents the technological protection measures that normally prevent people from playing p!rated games.
“The exploit enables the PS4 console sold by Defendant to play the 60+ unauthorized copies of video games that are contained on its hard drive,” Sony writes.
With its lawsuit, Sony hopes to obtain an injunction ordering the defendant to stop any infringing activity and to destroy all jailbroken or “modded” PS4 consoles, hard drives, and games.
In addition, the game company requests damages for copyright infringement and for violating the DMCA by circumventing the PS4's technological protection measures.
To our knowledge, this is the first jailbroken PS4 lawsuit, and it's likely that Sony wants to set a clear example. With several first-party PS4 games being mentioned in the lawsuit, the potential damages run to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Update: According to the proposed default judgment (scales.pdf) and Sony's full memorandum (scales1.pdf) obtained by TorrentFreak.com, Sony Interactive Entertainment is now requesting $16,800 in damages from the California man (who failed to respond to the accusations) they accuse of selling jailbroken PS4 consoles filled with backup games for violating the DMCA's anti-circumvention provisions. Update #2: In a default judgment they now report the Federal Court sided with Sony, ruling (scalesorderdefault.pdf) that the man's activities violated the DMCA's anti-circumvention provisions.As a result, the California man has been ordered to pay $16,800 in damages to Sony Interactive Entertainment for selling jailbroken PS4 consoles filled with copied games.
