 | This device was meant to backup games, but also to share them with other users. Check applicable laws to ensure this device is legal in your country. |
The Cobra Blackfin is a unique peer-to-peer sharing device which allows users to back up and share their favorite games with friends over an internet network.
Credit largely to the excellent work over at Wololo.net Vita Hacking History guide for this page.
Official description
The Blackfin allows Vita and Vita Slim/Wifi/3G users to share their Vita games over the internet. The Cobra Blackfin emulator card stores game ISO’s on a microSD card and the Blackfin card is then inserted into the Vita/Vita Slim console. When connected to the Blackfin servers, authentication of the Vita game is performed by matching the ISO on your microSD card to the same original game running on a peers’ Blackfin reader connected to their PC and the Blackfin servers or friends’ servers.
Why did it fail?
- The need of using a P2P network was the most problematic one. First, you need to find someone who is sharing the game (so the Blackfin dongle with the cartridge inside is active) and there wasn’t a lot of users back then. So the game-sharing library was very small. The inclusion of P2P was also dangerous as Sony could easily find who you were and possibly threaten legal action for sharing games.
- The team was sketchy; they didn’t send any retail unit to Wololo nor any legit hacking website that asked.
- The price was too high.
More detailed info
The dongle was pulled off the market shortly after its release as the sales didn't match the team's expectations. In 2017, the main developer of the Blackfin dongle came forward and leaked the Blackfin's software and research notes to the public after not being paid by the Cobra team owner for his hard work. It's an interesting talk that you can find on Wololo.
Overall, the Blackfin dongle was an ambitious and impressive piece of hardware, especially given the limited knowledge of the PS Vita security system at the time of release.