Sony Pushes New PS5 Security Update Ahead of GTA 6 Launch

Sony released another PlayStation 5 system update on Nov. 2, its second in about a week and a half, with patch notes saying only that it includes security fixes. The release comes as hobbyists keep working on jailbreaks for the console and as Grand Theft Auto 6 approaches its Nov. 19 launch, according to IGN and Insider Gaming.

The update, version 26.07-14.22.00, is 1.267 GB. The patch notes give no detail on what was fixed, Insider Gaming reported. Both outlets say the timing has fueled concern that a jailbreak could open the door to piracy of Rockstar's game.

How the PS5 jailbreak cat-and-mouse got here

A jailbreak lets owners modify their console and can potentially enable game piracy, IGN reported. Here are the steps the outlets describe:

• Late September: A jailbreak was released that supported PS5 consoles running firmware 7.00 through 13.60, according to IGN. At the time, that meant every PS5, including the PS5 Pro, that had not been updated in the previous week could use it. IGN said the release sent shockwaves through the homebrew community.
• Afterward: Some PS5 games began requiring the newer 14.00 firmware to download updates, IGN reported, which prompted a renewed effort to build a jailbreak for the newer software.
• Oct. 21: Sony released update 14.20. Its patch notes did not mention security, but IGN said it was widely seen as a response to the recent jailbreak activity.
• Nov. 2: Sony released 26.07-14.22.00, 11 days after 14.20, with notes confirming security fixes.
• Nov. 19: GTA 6 is scheduled to launch.

IGN also reported that a prominent homebrew community member recently showed evidence of a jailbreak for firmware 14.10. Follow-up comments from that person suggested that dumping game executables was not possible.

Why it matters for PS5 owners and game publishers

For players, the practical effect is that system updates are arriving frequently, and some games are starting to require newer firmware before they will download their own updates, according to IGN and Insider Gaming. Owners who want to install the latest game patches may therefore need to keep their consoles current.

For publishers and developers, the stakes are about protection. IGN said they rely on Sony to keep PlayStation releases secure, and that the arrival of powerful AI models has raised those stakes significantly. IGN reported concern that a jailbreak for the firmware GTA 6 requires could allow the game to be pirated on PS5 and possibly released on PC. Insider Gaming said neither Sony nor Rockstar would want the game to fall victim to piracy before or soon after launch.

Which firmware will GTA 6 need?

That has not been confirmed, and the discussion remains speculation within the community. IGN said some people believe the game will require at least 14.20, or now possibly 14.22. Insider Gaming reported that in October an X user named PlaystationSize claimed the game would need at least 14.10. After the new update, the account reposted its claim with a GTA 6 image and the caption “14.22,” which Insider Gaming read as a suggestion that the latest version may now be required.

What to watch before launch

IGN said Sony may release further security updates before Nov. 19. Insider Gaming said the open question is whether the latest update will be enough to keep the PS5 secure, or whether more system software updates will follow in the months after GTA 6 arrives. It also noted that the jailbreak community is likely to look for ways around the new protections.

Around Prague, based on reporting by IGN, Moneycontrol.com, Insider Gaming