An exploit in Star Wars Racer Revenge enables a PS5 hack via the PS4 disc on firmware 12.00, sending the Limited Run Games release soaring on the retro market.
© E. Vartanyan
An older Star Wars racing game has unexpectedly returned to the spotlight—and its price has jumped with it. Star Wars Racer Revenge has abruptly become a key part of a fresh PlayStation 5 hack, and interest in the rare physical edition has multiplied as a result. It’s the sort of twist the retro market tends to reward.
The exploit hinges on a vulnerability in one of the game’s modes that allows external code to be injected. Because the PS5 can run PS4 titles, the PS4 version of Racer Revenge has turned into a convenient tool for bypassing security on consoles with firmware 12.00. Unlike digital copies, disc releases can’t be updated with patches, which makes them especially appealing to hacking enthusiasts.
The market reacted instantly. Where the physical version of Star Wars Racer Revenge once sold for a few dozen dollars, secondary listings now reach $400 and higher. Sellers are leaning into the moment, ratcheting up prices amid the surge in demand—an almost inevitable outcome when scarcity meets utility.
Scarcity amplified the effect. Limited Run Games issued the PS4 release in 2019 with a print run of just 8,500 copies, positioning it from the start as a collectible. Now Racer Revenge is not only a shelf piece for completists but an unexpected ‘key’ to cracking the PS5, a combination that has cemented its status as a scarce—and costly—find.