A new PlayStation 5 jailbreak exploit called Relapse has significantly expanded the accessibility of console hacking by working with any PS5 running firmware version 13.6 or earlier, released in July. This marks a major advancement because previous exploits only functioned on years-old firmware versions, forcing most prospective hackers to hunt for unupdated consoles on the secondhand market. The development greatly widens the pool of exploitable hardware and matters particularly because most PS5 games require the latest firmware available at their release date.

The Relapse exploit leverages a long-known WebKit vulnerability in the PS5's web browser to gain write access to the console's kernel and install code loaders for running arbitrary software. It is significantly more efficient than previous jailbreak methods, which could freeze the system for up to 50 minutes per attempt. Once jailbroken, PS5s can run game backups from legitimate digital purchases, homebrew applications such as emulators, and unofficial modifications including 60 frames-per-second enhancements for legacy PlayStation 4 titles. Development continues on a full Linux implementation for the PS5, though that currently remains restricted to consoles with extremely outdated firmware version 7.61 or earlier.