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Rumour has it that Sony is looking to the PC games market to help solve its growing piracy problem on the PlayStation 3 - with the introduction of serial keys to its games.

According to 'a very reliable source' quoted by PS3-Sense, Sony is attempting to address the recent revelation that it failed to properly secure the private signing key for its flagship console - leading to clever tinkerers producing third-party firmware that allows unofficial software and illegitimately downloaded games to run on unmodified hardware - by looking to the PC retail market for solutions.

Unlike the PS3, the PC doesn't have a hardware DRM system built in to it - despite attempts by groups like the Trusted Computing Group, formerly the Trusted Computer Platform Alliance, to introduce such a thing - relying instead on software-based DRM and a surprisingly old-fashioned guarantee of a game's uniqueness: a serial key.

Printed on the product's packaging, the key is a unique identifier that promises that the game is the real deal - and usually verifies itself with an online server, preventing the game from running or accessing multiplayer features if the same key is in use elsewhere.

It's a solution that the PC gaming industry has been using for years, but if the rumour that Sony is looking to use it as a bandage for its thoroughly broken PS3 DRM proves true, it could have one major hurdle in its path: unlike a PC, the PS3 has no keyboard.

While the PS3 is compatible with USB keyboards, and has an optional Bluetooth-connected miniature keypad accessory, many gamers rely solely on the console's controller - using the on-screen soft keyboard for those rare occasions when text entry is required.

If every game that's purchased requires the entry of a code - and, given the code's requirement for uniqueness and high entropy, they're usually around 24 alphanumeric characters in length - it could soon prove a pain for gamers.

Worse, the move would effectively kill the rental market for PS3 games - and, if Sony decides to tie each serial key to a PlayStation Network account, could even block second-hand sales.

Sony, for its part, hasn't confirmed or denied the rumours - but it will certainly have to do something to get the genie back in the bottle.

Keygen anyone?

So basically this whole article is saying instead of downloading "Killzone 3 - [PS3] - blah_blah" you need to make sure you download "Killzone 3 - w/keygen [PS3] - blah_blah" lol. I hope they do it just so they look like complete ****in morons

This is not a rumour this is a fact. Sony has raised awareness that hackers have gained access to the PS3's firmware and therefore can pirate games. Many games developers for the PS3 have started to use serial keys for online interaction; these are pretty much impossible to hack since their connected via the internet in a highly secured database.

If this is true...

The keygen botnets are comin'!

Keygen's here we come! They may implement this but if they are smarter than I think they are they would know it's a stupid, stupid move.

Its happened on the PSP even already so I don't see why not!

Im all for this system! Wont affect me at all!

How is it stupid idea? Games nowadays is all about the multiplayer and CD keys take that away. I.E You cannot modify your end (your console) to bypass it. CD keys = Bye Bye online play on downloaded games (illegally). There is no way to bypass it.

If they do this, im sure someone will be able to make a homebrew app like keygens and make it into a pkg. file