Emulating a number of the PS3’s largest hits simply obtained simpler

In comparison with different sport consoles just like the PlayStation 2, GameCube, Wii, Recreation Boy, and Nintendo Change, the PlayStation 3 (PS3) has all the time been notoriously tough to emulate. That is largely due to its uniquely complicated Cell processor. Nonetheless, over the previous decade, PS3 emulation has made big strides, and now one of many main open-source PS3 emulators, RPCS3, has hit a serious milestone.

In a recent video from the RPCS3 growth staff highlighting the emulator’s progress in 2025, the staff revealed that 70 p.c of PS3 video games are actually playable, with secure efficiency and no game-breaking glitches. That features main titles like God of Warfare HD, The Sly Assortment, Demon’s Souls, Closing Fantasy XIII, LittleBigPlanet, and lots extra.

Out of the three,562 PS3 video games presently listed on RPCS3’s web site, 2,513 titles (70.94 p.c) are actually thought-about playable. One other 26.19 p.c fall into the “in-game” classification, that means they boot and run however nonetheless endure from points like poor efficiency or game-breaking bugs. An instance of a sport categorised as that is Steel Gear Strong 4: Weapons of the Patriots, which requires a separate sport patch to be downloaded to mod the sport and unlock the body charge and enhance efficiency.

Past that, simply 2.84 p.c of video games are caught within the “intro” state, the place they attain the menu however cannot be performed, whereas an nearly negligible 0.03 p.c are categorised as “loadable,” that means they show a black display screen and a body charge however do not load any additional. You’ll be able to view a full list of compatible PS3 games on RPCS3’s web site.

Find out how to get began with RPCS3 your self

The emulator is out there on Home windows and Linux

With the PS3 turning 20 this 12 months, it makes me actually completely satisfied to see the staff behind RPCS3 make such significant progress towards making the console’s whole library playable via emulation. There’s nonetheless a number of work to be carried out, however having 70 p.c of PS3 video games playable is an enormous deal and an enormous win for sport preservation. Plus, with the present state RPCS3 is in, there is a good likelihood that lots of the video games you bear in mind enjoying again within the day already run simply nice.

So, for those who’re craving for some PS3 nostalgia, I like to recommend giving RPCS3 a shot. The emulator is free to obtain from RPCS3’s website and is out there on Home windows, Linux, and FreeBSD. There’s additionally an experimental macOS model, although, because the identify suggests, efficiency will not be on par with the Home windows and Linux builds.

It is essential to understand that RPCS3 is an emulator, so like different emulators, resembling these for the PS2 or Nintendo Switch, you may want to offer your personal legally obtained PS3 system software program and video games earlier than you’ll be able to play something on it. I will not get into the particular particulars right here on how to try this, however there are many guides on-line that stroll you thru the method of dumping your personal PS3 video games and firmware to your PC so you’ll be able to play the emulator.

Now, if emulation is not your factor, it’s price noting you could play PS3 video games on the PS5 and PS4, however it’s all dealt with via cloud streaming, so the video games do not truly run natively on the console and are streamed from the web. On prime of that, accessing PS3 titles via Sony’s Classics Catalog requires a PlayStation Plus Premium subscription, which prices $18 per thirty days or $160 per 12 months.

With all that in thoughts, when you’ve got an outdated PS3 mendacity round, with 70 p.c of its library now playable on RPCS3, now could be pretty much as good a time as ever to mud it off and provides emulation a strive. And for those who’re additionally trying to develop your PS3 sport assortment, I just lately wrote about my expertise shopping for PS3 video games in 2026, together with the simplest methods to get began, which you’ll be able to try in my different Pocket-lint story here.