The increasing use of modchips and emulators

Here is a template to upload driving forces.

Description:

A modchip (=hardware) is a device used to play import games and/or circumvent digital rights management (first generation) of many popular game consoles, including the Xbox and PlayStation. Almost all modern disc-based console gaming systems, with the notable exception of the Sega Dreamcast have hardware-based schemes which ensure that only officially sanctioned games may be used with the system, also making simple bitwise copying of games impossible. For example, Microsoft must cryptographically "sign" every Xbox game with their 2048-bit private key for it to work in an unmodded Xbox. Modchips circumvent this protection by effectively routing around the security check. Many mod chips require some experience to install, especially since they require to be soldered, though recently, solderless mod chips have made headway.

A console emulator is a program for a computer, or other computing device, that can emulate a video game console or handheld, so a computer can be used to play games that were created for that console or to develop games for that console. Such tools are often used to translate games into other languages, to modify (or hack) existing games, or to produce homebrewed demos.

Enablers:

• "Old school" games are still popular
  
• Reverse engineering
  
• Hacking and cracking
  
• The increasing use of Internet
  
• Peer-to-peer technology
  
• The increasing use of DVD-writers

Inhibitors:

• Second generation Digital Rights Management
• Online updates for scanning the 'modded' game console
• Changes in goverment policy
• Increasing cooperation between (game)developers and online and offline detectives

Web Resources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modchip
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Console_emulator