Valve Unfazed by PS3 Hacks

[Logan Westbrook]

Valve Unfazed by PS3 Hacks

According to Valve, the PS3 security breaches might as well never have happened for all the impact they're going to have on Portal 2 [http://www.amazon.com/Portal-2-Playstation-3/dp/B003O6E3C8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1295875154&sr=8-1].

The security problems on the PS3 may be playing havoc [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/106984-PS3-Hacks-Force-Infinity-Ward-to-Rethink-Game-Security] with the likes of Call of Duty 4 [http://www.amazon.com/Call-Duty-Warfare-Greatest-Playstation-3/dp/B0016B28WU/ref=sr_1_4?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1295875313&sr=1-4] and Modern Warfare 2 [http://www.amazon.com/Call-Duty-Modern-Warfare-Playstation-3/dp/B00269QLH4/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1295875313&sr=1-1], but Valve is confident that it has nothing to worry about when it comes to Portal 2, or any of its other games, for that matter.

Portal 2 writer Chet Faliszek said that the security problems were obviously bad news for Sony, and that Valve was sympathetic to the platform holder's plight. The situation hadn't made Valve regret its decision to bring Portal 2 to the PS3, however, nor would it be a concern in the game's online co-op mode. What's more, he was confident that the PS3 hacks wouldn't have "any impact at all" on PS3 versions of Valve games.

It's likely that this isn't just bravado on Valve's part either. Not only does the studio have a long history of dealing with cheaters and hackers on the PC - largely successfully - it's also using Steamworks for Portal 2 on the PS3, which will provide another layer of security for the game. Hackers might be able to make their PS3s do all kinds of crazy things, but it likely won't mean very much unless they can get around Valve's systems as well.

Portal 2 comes out for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 on April 18th.

Source: CVG [http://www.computerandvideogames.com/284956/news/valve-ps3-hacks-wont-have-any-impact-at-all/?attr=CVG-News-RSS]


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[JediMB]

Well, it's not like Steam and Steamworks are entirely secure either. At least not for offline play. I have enough friends who pirate Steamworks games to know that.

 

[fix-the-spade]

It's probably worth noting that Valve's approach to pirates and hackers has been to stop them playing along side paying customers rather than trying to block them off entirely.

Hackers can play on non VAC servers on Steam to their heart's content, it won't even penalize them for it. Pirates simply can't use Steam and get stuck playing with each other. Steam/Steamworks is by no means bullet proof, but it works a lot better than the more destructive systems used by some other, Paris based publishers.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Well when hes right hes right, if you wanna play online you still need the proper game.
And howmany PS3 owners are really willing to do all that extra hassle to get around the protections, it's like a spit in the ocean.

But Steam protections are just like all others, they get cracked fairly quickly.

 

[brazuca]

Yeah, but Ubisoft do not develop in Paris. All their Studios (main one's please) are in Canada. This DRM was developed in Canada, why? Because the Ubisoft CEO is not very bright.

 

[Gindil]

But the guy is French.

And I'm a little confused...

How are the hacks destroying the PSN marketplace?

 

[Jamash]

But the guy is French.

And I'm a little confused...

How are the hacks destroying the PSN marketplace?

I've heard talk that some hackers have been able to rip stuff straight from the PSN store, or torrent the PSN games and sign it so it looks like a legitimate purchase.

 

[Irridium]

But hackers were already having a field day with COD4 and MW2 way before these hacks...

Ah well, I assume Portal 2 will use Steam rather then PSN. But that being said VAC isn't exactly the best anti-hacker system...

 

[squid5580]

Other than the obvious piracy issue what else does these hacks do? Does this mean PS3 owners can start modding games or something?

 

[HentMas]

I support this.

If you think about non-Valve games, however, why is everyone making such a big deal out of Steamworks? Apologies, but I just don't seem to understand all of the commotion in terms of having only Valve games benefit from their service... and releases of their games come few and far between.

Anyone care to explain?

I dont know if i get what you are asking but i´m going to try and answer how i interpret it

not only "Valve" games benedfit from the "Steamworks" servicess, "Steam" is an amazing "plataform" inside the PC, it provides a farily unintrusive DRM and an amazing marketplace for games, the patches are inmediatelly downloaded when they come out (you dont have to go to the developers page to do it) you can download great tools to some of the games to enhance your gameing experience, and the add-ons are really fast to download

let me take some extracts from their page

"It may be the biggest news since Steam was first launched: Steam and Steamworks are available for the Mac. Supporting cross platform gaming, Steam is opening the door to a new audience and taking all of its features and functionality along for the ride."

"Now with a greatly expanded capacity ? now 100 MB per user, per game. The Steam Cloud API allows your game to write and retrieve files for each user."

and stuff like that for ALL THE GAMES, not just "Valve" games

also, it doesnt hurt that Valve trough Steam makes hundreds of deals a week to give the best prices in video games, halve price, %75 off, all that, you have no idea how many times i have bought something that i liked but hadnt planned on buying just because it got a "sale" sticker, impulse buyer, i know, but i regret nothing!

 

[DominicxD]

Couldn't you buy Portal 2 on the PS3, download the fee PC version, then return the PS3 version for a full refund?

 

[RvLeshrac]

But the guy is French.

And I'm a little confused...

How are the hacks destroying the PSN marketplace?

I've heard talk that some hackers have been able to rip stuff straight from the PSN store, or torrent the PSN games and sign it so it looks like a legitimate purchase.

Welcome to a year ago, when the PSN decryption was broken. The only difference is that it took more knowledge to do it then than it does now.

 

[Weaver]

I love steam, but I'm slightly concerned at it's rapid takeover of basically the entire world.

 

[DTWolfwood]

O lordy no they can modify my achievements! thats totally gonna ruin the gameplay itself <.<

...Less of course the security breaches included PSN account info... and/or steam accounts O.O then i'd be concerned. Otherwise, kudos on Valve for not making a mountain out of a mole hill.

 

[Covarr]

Couldn't you buy Portal 2 on the PS3, download the fee PC version, then return the PS3 version for a full refund?

I'm sure Valve has thought of this, and found a way to plug up this hole.

P.S. Thanks