Something went wrong. Try again later

Giant Bomb News

172 Comments

The Saga of George "GeoHot" Hotz Has Reached its Only Natural Conclusion

The former bane of Sony's existence is shacking up with Facebook now.

Over the last few months, we've had a bit of fun at the expense of George "GeoHot" Hotz, the floppy-haired, hip-hopping hackster who kicked off The Great PlayStation Network Kerfuffle of 2011 by cracking the PlayStation 3's firmware, releasing the tools for other people to do the same, getting sued by Sony over said tools, and thus inspiring a roving gang of Internet hooligans to start taunting and screwing with the console-maker.

Don't lie: You totally missed us writing news stories about this dude.
Don't lie: You totally missed us writing news stories about this dude.

Of course, the shit got a little more real when actual hackers stole actual vital information pertaining to actual PlayStation 3 users. At that point, the whole thing became a lot less funny. Well, Hotz's statements regarding that hack were pretty funny, actually. But the rest was totally serious business.

Anyway, after settling his lawsuit with Sony and making the aforementioned comments, Hotz went into radio silence mode. Evidently, that's because he went and got himself a real damn job.

Confirming a few rumors floating around late last week, Facebook representatives announced today that Hotz has gone to work for the company. His exact role at the company wasn't revealed, but it's presumed that he may be working in the company's mobile division, specifically on Facebook's upcoming iPad app. That would make some sense, given Hotz's previous proclivities toward jailbreaking iPhones.

It's actually a perfect fit, given Facebook head honcho Mark Zuckerberg's own history as an authority-mocking coder back in his college days. One could easily see the two of them becoming fast friends, going on coding dates together and curling each other's hair.

Still, that is a bit of an anticlimactic end to the antics of the gaming industry's own Dennis the Menace. Some of you out there almost assuredly were hoping for more of a Thelma & Louise type ending with Hotz's fellow lawsuit victim Alexander "Graf_Chokolo" Egorenkov (who is still being sued, by the way, and also probably will go to jail), but let's be realistic about this. A nice, quiet desk job at a major social media company is probably more reasonable.

Hey, maybe he can hook his buddy Alexander up with a job, too! You know, so he can pay his legal fees. And, like, not go to jail.

Alex Navarro on Google+

172 Comments

Avatar image for alex
alex

3983

Forum Posts

7447

Wiki Points

102163

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By alex

Over the last few months, we've had a bit of fun at the expense of George "GeoHot" Hotz, the floppy-haired, hip-hopping hackster who kicked off The Great PlayStation Network Kerfuffle of 2011 by cracking the PlayStation 3's firmware, releasing the tools for other people to do the same, getting sued by Sony over said tools, and thus inspiring a roving gang of Internet hooligans to start taunting and screwing with the console-maker.

Don't lie: You totally missed us writing news stories about this dude.
Don't lie: You totally missed us writing news stories about this dude.

Of course, the shit got a little more real when actual hackers stole actual vital information pertaining to actual PlayStation 3 users. At that point, the whole thing became a lot less funny. Well, Hotz's statements regarding that hack were pretty funny, actually. But the rest was totally serious business.

Anyway, after settling his lawsuit with Sony and making the aforementioned comments, Hotz went into radio silence mode. Evidently, that's because he went and got himself a real damn job.

Confirming a few rumors floating around late last week, Facebook representatives announced today that Hotz has gone to work for the company. His exact role at the company wasn't revealed, but it's presumed that he may be working in the company's mobile division, specifically on Facebook's upcoming iPad app. That would make some sense, given Hotz's previous proclivities toward jailbreaking iPhones.

It's actually a perfect fit, given Facebook head honcho Mark Zuckerberg's own history as an authority-mocking coder back in his college days. One could easily see the two of them becoming fast friends, going on coding dates together and curling each other's hair.

Still, that is a bit of an anticlimactic end to the antics of the gaming industry's own Dennis the Menace. Some of you out there almost assuredly were hoping for more of a Thelma & Louise type ending with Hotz's fellow lawsuit victim Alexander "Graf_Chokolo" Egorenkov (who is still being sued, by the way, and also probably will go to jail), but let's be realistic about this. A nice, quiet desk job at a major social media company is probably more reasonable.

Hey, maybe he can hook his buddy Alexander up with a job, too! You know, so he can pay his legal fees. And, like, not go to jail.

Avatar image for thefakepsychic
TheFakePsychic

272

Forum Posts

53

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 17

User Lists: 18

Edited By TheFakePsychic

Well that's rather ironic. Kind of.

Avatar image for diz
diz

1394

Forum Posts

961

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 2

User Lists: 4

Edited By diz

Let that be a lesson to us all.

Avatar image for yukoasho
yukoasho

2247

Forum Posts

6076

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 6

User Lists: 7

Edited By yukoasho

I hope he does well, and that he doesn't come back into crime.  Going the straight and narrow might help him grow up a bit.  It's just too bad he probably won't be working on paid apps.  It'd be so ironic if he was the one having his shit stolen.

Avatar image for sinful
Sinful

218

Forum Posts

48

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By Sinful

4th!  I guess it's time for people to crack into his apps.....

Avatar image for devildoll
Devildoll

1013

Forum Posts

286

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By Devildoll

thats great

wonder what he'll get up to from here on.

Avatar image for binman88
Binman88

3700

Forum Posts

49

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 2

Edited By Binman88

He looks like an even dweebier version of Patrick Klepek. 
  
Sorry I've got nothing constructive to say about this. 

Guy gets job, story at 11.

Avatar image for justicejanitor
justicejanitor

538

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By justicejanitor

Ahh, the classic story of the computer hacker getting a legitimate job on the security side of things.  Heard that one a bazillion times and saw it coming miles away. 

Avatar image for random_guy23
random_guy23

310

Forum Posts

363

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 12

User Lists: 7

Edited By random_guy23

alex, your articles continue to be hilarious, keep that up!

Avatar image for liquidswords
LiquidSwords

2728

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By LiquidSwords

This is what I picture the GB community looking like, just fatter.

Avatar image for sinful
Sinful

218

Forum Posts

48

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By Sinful

Hey guys let's rob a bank! We might get security jobs for them in the future!

Avatar image for crimsonnoir
CrimsonNoir

440

Forum Posts

20

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 15

Edited By CrimsonNoir
@YukoAsho said:

I hope he does well, and that he doesn't come back into crime.  Going the straight and narrow might help him grow up a bit.  It's just too bad he probably won't be working on paid apps.  It'd be so ironic if he was the one having his shit stolen.

yea, he was a modern day hamburglar. there's a reason why sony settled, they had a shit case.
Avatar image for re_player1
RE_Player1

8074

Forum Posts

1047

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By RE_Player1
But I hate Facebook and their policies... Hopefully he is trying to take them down from the inside.
Avatar image for reson8er
reson8er

33

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

Edited By reson8er

And in a non-related story, Facebook has made a statement that private information of everyone on they system was released to the internet right after the hiring of George Hotz to Trotz.

Avatar image for krakn3dfx
Krakn3Dfx

2746

Forum Posts

101

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 4

User Lists: 3

Edited By Krakn3Dfx

Let no scumbag go unrewarded.

Avatar image for younglink
YOUNGLINK

641

Forum Posts

2

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By YOUNGLINK

I wouldn't trust this kid with a real "job", he seems to have this natural instinct to break and not build.

Avatar image for reson8er
reson8er

33

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

Edited By reson8er
@Krakn3Dfx: My thoughts exactly.
Avatar image for winternet
Winternet

8454

Forum Posts

2255

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 6

Edited By Winternet

What happen to the "gangsta 4 life" attitude? Kids these days. No respect.

Avatar image for walkertr77
WalkerTR77

1811

Forum Posts

3076

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 5

User Lists: 4

Edited By WalkerTR77

Hiring thievish arseholes is an excellent business strategy. 

Avatar image for saga
Saga

190

Forum Posts

2

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 5

User Lists: 1

Edited By Saga

It seems like GeoHot had the last laugh. He is making money and Sony is losing it having to hire experts to secure their network. Not to mention the hit that the brand name took. Maybe Sony should have hired GeoHot instead of trying to bully him.

Avatar image for erotolepsy
Erotolepsy

29

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By Erotolepsy
@reson8er said:
And in a non-related story, Facebook has made a statement that private information of everyone on they system was released to the internet right after the hiring of George Hotz to Trotz.

That's funny, I didn't think they had any more private information left to release...
Avatar image for pie
Pie

7370

Forum Posts

515

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 7

Edited By Pie

Is this going to lead to more people openly hacking in hopes of getting jobs?

Avatar image for slaker117
Slaker117

4873

Forum Posts

3305

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 11

Edited By Slaker117

Hey, he's kind of a dick, but dude is really smart. If he can put that intelligence to use in a productive way and get paid for it, good for him.

Avatar image for deactivated-5f80be8681c07
deactivated-5f80be8681c07

104

Forum Posts

6

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Is that Patrick?

Avatar image for oni
Oni

2345

Forum Posts

5885

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 26

User Lists: 12

Edited By Oni

@WalkerTR77 said:

Hiring thievish arseholes is an excellent business strategy.

And what did he steal, exactly? I see comments of this nature and it just makes me shake my head at the ignorance. This guy didn't steal anything, nor did he do anything illegal. You think Sony settled because their entire legal team couldn't face up to this guy and his lawyer? They had no case, because he didn't break any laws.

Avatar image for 234rqsd2323d2
234r2we232

3175

Forum Posts

2007

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 16

Edited By 234r2we232

Cancelling my Facebook account now (not joking). 
 
Thanks Facebook!

Avatar image for toxin066
Toxin066

3589

Forum Posts

118

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

Edited By Toxin066

@zombie007 said:

Is that Patrick?

I really thought so, at first.

Avatar image for dungbootle
dungbootle

2502

Forum Posts

19953

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By dungbootle

This guy is like everyone I hated in high school

Avatar image for cl60
CL60

17117

Forum Posts

-1

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

Edited By CL60
@Oni said:

@WalkerTR77 said:

Hiring thievish arseholes is an excellent business strategy.

And what did he steal, exactly? I see comments of this nature and it just makes me shake my head at the ignorance. This guy didn't steal anything, nor did he do anything illegal. You think Sony settled because their entire legal team couldn't face up to this guy and his lawyer? They had no case, because he didn't break any laws.

I know right? People are so goddamn ignorant on the subject of Geohotz.. he did absolutely nothing illegal, and stole absolutely nothing either. He just jailbroke the PS3, Microsoft even gave him a Windows Phone to jailbreak. Sony are the only ones who made a big fuss about him doing something that's not even illegal.
Avatar image for a_wet_shamwow
A_Wet_Shamwow

235

Forum Posts

428

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

Edited By A_Wet_Shamwow

facebook hired someone really good at stealing personal information 

Avatar image for kamiboy
kamiboy

28

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By kamiboy

Ah, and here I was hoping he had been arrested by the douche police, for grossly exceeding the doucheyness limit.

Avatar image for cl60
CL60

17117

Forum Posts

-1

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

Edited By CL60
@sofacitysweetheart said:
Cancelling my Facebook account now (not joking).  Thanks Facebook!
No Caption Provided
Avatar image for cl60
CL60

17117

Forum Posts

-1

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

Edited By CL60
@A_Wet_Shamwow said:
facebook hired someone really good at stealing personal information 
Do tell when he stole personal information?
Avatar image for vexxan
Vexxan

4642

Forum Posts

943

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 3

Edited By Vexxan

@Toxin066 said:

@zombie007 said:

Is that Patrick?

I really thought so, at first.

Me too. Could be a long-lost bro of his or something.

Avatar image for slaker117
Slaker117

4873

Forum Posts

3305

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 11

Edited By Slaker117

I feel like some of the LulzSec hate is bleeding into these comments. Hotz just jailbroke shit and acted like a douche. He never stole personal information or hacked anyone.

Avatar image for 234rqsd2323d2
234r2we232

3175

Forum Posts

2007

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 16

Edited By 234r2we232
@CL60: YO THAT'S A REALLY BIG PICTURE YO GOOD JOB BRO
Avatar image for redlitez76
redlitez76

116

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 3

User Lists: 3

Edited By redlitez76

i hope geo hotz dies of Syphilis and zombies use his body as a toilet.

Avatar image for keen_12
Keen_12

147

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By Keen_12

I need to start hacking websites so I can get a real job to.

Avatar image for cl60
CL60

17117

Forum Posts

-1

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

Edited By CL60
@Keen_12 said:

I need to start hacking websites so I can get a real job to.

Jesus christ people, he never hacked websites. He jailbreaks locked products like iphones and the PS3. THAT'S IT.
Avatar image for foolishchaos
FoolishChaos

515

Forum Posts

2

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By FoolishChaos

What the fuck did he steal?

Do people actually read these things, fuck

Avatar image for keen_12
Keen_12

147

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By Keen_12

@CL60: That's not why I wrote that, he's not the first guy to land a job for hacking.

Avatar image for deactivated-5f00787182625
deactivated-5f00787182625

3325

Forum Posts

604

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 3

User Lists: 0

For people who are unaware of the epicness of Geohot....

Avatar image for vinsanityv22
vinsanityv22

1066

Forum Posts

6

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By vinsanityv22

I effin' hate this GeoHotz a**hole. 
 
But...
 
I DO love it when Alex Navarro writes snarky, sarcastic articles about a**holes like this dipsh*t. I mean, it's almost worth putting up with his miserable existence just to read a line like, "One could easily see the two of them becoming fast friends, going on coding dates together and curling each other's hair."
 
Almost. Not quite though. I'd still rather see every PSN user out there punch the sh** out of this piece of crap.

Avatar image for fritzdude
FritzDude

2316

Forum Posts

3064

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By FritzDude

He looks like a mixture of Patrick Klepek and Todd Howard.

Avatar image for deiterbomber
Deiterbomber

85

Forum Posts

250

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 15

User Lists: 1

Edited By Deiterbomber

I was going to make a joke about "Curling each other's hair" but realized Alex wrote this article, not Patrick.

Oh well.

Avatar image for thusian
Thusian

110

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By Thusian

They're both great at disclosing your Personal Information, a match made in heaven.

Avatar image for mistermouse
MisterMouse

3608

Forum Posts

272

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 5

User Lists: 5

Edited By MisterMouse

well maybe this is good for him... I guess... I dont know...

Avatar image for cl60
CL60

17117

Forum Posts

-1

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

Edited By CL60
@Thusian said:
They're both great at disclosing your Personal Information, a match made in heaven.
Geohotz never disclosed personal information fucking hell, whats with the misinformation that runs rampant on this site about this subject?
Avatar image for thusian
Thusian

110

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By Thusian
@CL60: Correct, he just enabled/encouraged the breaches and attacks.
Avatar image for deactivated-5abeb9715d7a2
deactivated-5abeb9715d7a2

372

Forum Posts

345

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 22

Time to remove all my info on FB and delete.  Not that it means they won't keep it all on their HDDs forever...