Is PS3 Emulation Possible on PS5? Tech Experts Find Fascinating Results

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Digital Foundry recently conducted an interesting test: they ran a PlayStation 3 emulator directly on a standard PlayStation 5 console.

They accomplished this by exploiting a recent hack on Linux, enabling them to install the RPCS3 emulator on Sony’s current PlayStation console.

Honestly, the way this all turned out is pretty amazing. But it also kinda makes sense why PlayStation hasn’t released an official emulator themselves – these results show exactly what’s possible, and maybe they weren’t ready for that kind of power in players’ hands.

Basically, the tests demonstrate that emulation runs smoothly when games don’t push the PS3’s processors (SPUs) very hard.

Since the PS5’s processor is taking on the role of the specialized processors used in the original PS3, games that rely heavily on those processors don’t run as well on the PS5 as they did on the PS3.

A great example of this issue is the game GTA: Episodes from Liberty City. When played through emulation on a PS5, it puts a lot of strain on the console’s processor, and as a result, it actually runs slower than it did on the original PS3 – even if you increase the resolution to 4K.

Games released early in the PS3’s life, which didn’t take full advantage of its special processors, perform very well. For example, Ridge Racer 7 runs smoothly at 60 frames per second in 2160p resolution, and Resistance: Fall of Man reaches 4K resolution at a stable 30 frames per second, with only a few minor visual hiccups.

Heck, Ninja Theory’s Heavenly Sword even goes all the way up to 2880p at a fairly steady 30fps.

The game runs noticeably better with titles released around its launch, but we’re also seeing improvements in more recent games.

As a big fan of older PlayStation games, I’ve been really impressed with what RPCS3 can do. Games like Killzone 3 and MotorStorm Apocalypse actually used the PS3’s special processors to handle anti-aliasing. Luckily, by turning that feature off within the emulator, they run surprisingly well on my PS5! It really helps them achieve a good, playable experience.

Digital Foundry’s findings suggest the PlayStation 6 could finally have the processing power needed to accurately emulate PlayStation 3 games, and the current data supports this idea.

Implicit Conversions is reportedly exploring the possibility of adding PlayStation 3 classics to the PlayStation Plus Premium subscription in the future.

The current findings are interesting, but they aren’t quite reliable enough yet to be released as a product.

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2026-05-24 22:37