YARRRR! It’s a Pirate Gamers’ Life for Me!
You’ve seen the ads on Craigslist: ‘console modding service.’ A modern-day techno treasure chest for any gamer, with promises of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of pirated games from various gaming consoles stored right onto the system for an unfathomably low price. It just may be the “X” that marks the spot on the Internet treasure map. But beware, for there’s blood on those games.
It’s the underlying yet obvious reason that earns modded systems their roguish reputation: to play pirated software. It’s common knowledge that a regular, off the store shelf system won’t play copied titles. But a few modifications, and viola! Whether you opted for a softmod or a hardmod, you’ve just discovered the treasure map to a wondrous trove of seemingly endless bootleg games waiting to be pillaged.
Congratulations! But don’t forget that copyright infringements come complimentary as you leave that treasure-laden island. Get caught, and you could face heavy fines and possibly jail time. How’s that treasure looking now, Captain Cheap-skate?
In addition, let’s not forget that the life of a pirate is often a lonely and dangerous one. Most companies attempt to discourage modders by regularly updating system firmware. Most, if any hacks or mods that once worked before an update won’t. And forget about playing on Xbox LIVE.
Microsoft’s more aggressive approach has them patrolling the open seas of the gaming community for those with modded consoles who dare embark for a little social playtime. Should they catch wind of your mod, they’ll fire the ban-cannon on you like a British naval ship. Your account is fine, but your console: banned.
I can assume any gamer that uses a modded system would argue: there’s nothing wrong with modding a system, and I agree. My argument: you’ve paid for the system, and what you choose to do with it is your business, whether you choose to mod it or smash it with a hammer. And be damned the warranty!
Ideally, modded systems should be for playing back-ups of games you do own, imports, or homebrew titles. However, the act of modding does boast a very heavy risk: you could potentially brick your system. A bad solder or a corrupt file, and your system will be like a ship at sea without sails: just sitting there. These risks are assumed if not expected, though.
While my systems remain mod-free, I can’t deny the temptation. (To be able to play homebrew titles would be the rum that tempts me.) For the price of a new game, I could have my old Xbox modded and filled with tons of games from varying consoles. My 360 gets all the playtime on LIVE, so what’s stopping me? (Wait a second…what is stopping me? Who would know? Uh, well, *ahem* except all you wonderful readers out there. Damn…) I suppose I’ll have to chalk it up to personal morals. (That, and I don’t like gold earrings.) While I don’t condone the act of modding for illegal game plundering, modding to play back-ups, imports, and homebrews I can support. Still, should you find yourself with a more pliable moral then I, you can look forward to the many amazing treasures to be gained from pirating the high seas of modded systems. Games galore for practically nothing. But be on watch for the armada. For you may find yourself in shackled in irons.
