Summary
- The Relapse exploit, available on GitHub under an MIT license, allows for custom code execution on PS5 systems running firmware versions 7.00 to 13.60.
- This jailbreak is not permanent; users must reapply it after each restart, and it is incompatible with consoles updated after September 16.
- On August 21, Sony informed a federal court that reasonable consumers would not assume they own the digital games they purchase.
A public jailbreak for the PS5, known as Relapse, has been successfully released, enabling users to run custom code on firmware versions ranging from 7.00 to 13.60 with a simple DNS adjustment.
This development comes shortly after Sony's court statement asserting that players do not own the digital games they buy.
The process, shared by Nathan Fargo on X and promoted by console community member ApolloHB, involves changing the PS5's primary DNS to 45.56.67.85, accessing the User Guide, entering the URL for the exploit page, and waiting for the process to complete.
Hosted on GitHub under an MIT license, the exploit is free for modification and enhancement. It combines two attacks, allowing users to run payloads through an ELF loader, which facilitates the use of homebrew applications and game backups.
Instructions for jailbreaking PS5 firmware 7-13.60:
Set your PS5's primary DNS to 45.56.67.85, open the user guide, and enter “https://t.co/cNZwgvGw5L” in the URL box. Wait for the process to finish. Enjoy!— Apollo (@ApoIIoHB) September 29, 2026
The potential for piracy raises concerns, with users on the r/PS5_Jailbreak subreddit already discussing which titles are compatible with Relapse. There is also a risk that players could run copies of games they haven't purchased.
The repository states that the jailbreak is intended for "educational and security research purposes only" and does not advocate for piracy.
This jailbreak is somewhat unstable; it is tethered, meaning it must be reinitiated after each reboot. The repository also cautions that WebKit may require multiple attempts, and issues may arise during the kernel stage, potentially causing the console to hang or panic.
Ownership Concerns
The timing of this jailbreak is particularly sensitive for Sony. A class action lawsuit filed in June in California claims that the "Buy Now" button misleads customers into thinking they own the games they purchase. In response, Sony argues that it is "not plausible to allege that reasonable consumers believed they were obtaining 'ownership.'"
Sony cites its license terms, which state that software is "licensed to you, not sold," and is seeking to have the case moved to private arbitration, with the judge yet to rule on this request.
While the lawsuit addresses ownership from a purchasing perspective, the jailbreak tackles what users can do with their already purchased consoles.
This issue has long been debated, especially regarding consumer rights and the right to repair. A notable case involved Apple and iOS jailbreak developer Justin Freeman, who ultimately won despite Apple's continuous efforts to thwart jailbreaks with updates.
According to Primavera De Filippi, research director at CERSA, when a user buys a digital asset from a platform, "the platform ultimately retains control of the asset." The Relapse jailbreak restores some of that control to users, but only as long as their console remains on an older firmware version.
PS5 consoles updated to firmware 14.00, released on September 16, are not compatible with the Relapse exploit.