Answer (without even needing to read the article): they can’t legally brick your console, but we live in an oligarchy that refuses to enforce the law against the powerful.
this post was submitted on 23 May 2025
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I will just not purchase an console anymore, don’t need one anyway due to have a good PC.
Because capitalism and Greed. You pay money for some piece of hardware and expect to own it? In what world are you living?
If you live in a shit hole like the US, yes.
It's totally illegal over here.
Assuming this article is talking about the USA? This doesn't sound like the kind of thing that would fly anywhere with half-decent consumer protection laws.
While these kinds of "bricking" clauses haven't been tested in court, lawyers who spoke to Ars felt they would probably hold up to judicial review.
This is laughable at best, would 100% never go to court. The cost of losing would destroy so many models… and defending in it in the light of real consequences is going to make them popular… Ask the RIAA how suing customers made them look.
The threat of doing it is way more powerful.
Threat? Have you not seen Nintendo suing their customers the last 4 decades or so?
...lemme guess, the ToS?
"Your game console"
What other industry is allowed to just do this? Its robbery. If I want to buy an Xbox and mod it to hell I should be able to. At most they should be able to disconnect me from their online infrastructure. Not brick my console.
Tractors. Continued function depends on OTA updates via subscription.
Printers
Pretty sure cars are basically the same now.
The only place I've seen it is if you didn't finish paying for it (like getting a fence replaced at your house and then not paying them will get it torn down)
You get a lien, not your fence torn down usually. Cant do anything to the property until it's paid
what industry isn't allowed to do this?
they can't brick our movie. our movies are dumb anyways.
Furniture? Pretty sure they can't come into my house to cut the feet off my tables, anyway.
they can brick your "smart" table, turning it into just wood, just as they can brick your switch, turning it into... a brick
Throw that brick through their window
Sounds like we have a lot of work to do for freedom of ownership.
extremely hard to overturn the DMCA
so, chair makers can unchair your chairs??
Using unapproved polish is against the tos and we have issued a DMCA (the C is for chair) notice of violation.
Your chair has been locked.
If you wish to unlock your chair, go fuck yourself. Pay us for another one.
Sincerely,
Go fuck yourself.
You should have thought it twice when you used it to reach that top shelf
That would be the last console I ever bought.