I wonder if this could explain it...

http://www.noobz.eu/joomla/news/beware-of-the-illuminati.html 

 The All-Seeing Eye is watching you...

Following research in conjunction with Archaemic, Noobz are proud to present the first ever all-firmware exploit for the PSP.  Based on Lumines, the "Illuminati" exploit is a user-mode exploit using a buffer overflow in the savedata file - similar to the GTA exploit.

That's right - if you've got a legal UMD copy of Lumines, then you can run homebrew on your PSP - whatever the firmware version.  That includes v3.50! Right now, the only homebrew is the Hello World demo released below - but in future we intend to release a HEN and downgrader.

Homebrew FTW.

Aye matey! Arrr, Lumines be fine brew!

Lumines is now #2 on Amazon. This game is going to be top ten in all the charts this week LOL.

http://amazon.com/gp/movers-and-shakers/videogames/ref=pd_ts_mte/105-4281918-6352410

Impressive.

Now NPD makes sense. PSP pirating must be a lot more rampant than I thought. PSP gets a pricecut, hardware goes up, software sales stay flat. Now, an exploit is found for Lumines and it is getting bought up quick. The GTA exploit certainly sold a lot of extra copies.

I see why Sony is scrambling to fix firmwares so quickly.

Lumines is #1 now!!! HO HO HO and a bottle of rum!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/videogames/

Homebrew != pirating.

now its just a matter of time until they release a downgrader.
Poor Sony, a nice chunk of PSP owners seem to be use it as a media device or to be hacked.

 99% dont give a rats ass about homebrew.

 average joe will buy what he wants, but if he can he will pirate it he will.