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.

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.

Because capitalism and Greed. You pay money for some piece of hardware and expect to own it? In what world are you living?

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.

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.

I will just not purchase an console anymore, don’t need one anyway due to have a good PC.

"Your game console"

so, chair makers can unchair your chairs??