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RPCS3 is a multi-platform open-source Sony PlayStation 3 emulator and debugger written in C++ for Windows, Linux and BSD. It was founded by programmers DH and Hykem. Initially hosted on Google Code, the project was eventually migrated to GitHub later on in its development. RPCS3’s first successful boots were primarily composed of small homebrew projects and hardware tests. The emulator was later publicly released in June of 2012 and gained substantial attention from both the open-source community and PlayStation enthusiasts alike. Today, RPCS3 is primarily developed by its two lead developers; Nekotekina, kd-11 and backed by flourishing team of GitHub contributors.
How can I get started using RPCS3 on my PC?
Please refer to the Quickstart Guide for detailed information on how to get started.
How stable is RPCS3 in its current state?
RPCS3 is stable enough to boot into games and play many of them with ease. Stability is more of a per-game factor that may change with new builds as new features get implemented. As emulators progress in accuracy, there may be some regressions that occur and stability is typically one of them. Rest assured, the developers are always hard at work when it comes to keeping RPCS3 as stable as possible for now and into the future.
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What input devices can I use with RPCS3?
We currently support keyboard / mouse inputs and native DualShock 3/4 controllers. We plan to add additional input methods in the future as we implement more meaningful features to the emulator.
What PlayStation 3 peripherals can I use with RPCS3?
We currently don’t have support for additional PlayStation 3 peripherals such as the PlayStation 3 Move controller(s) or the PlayStation Eye Camera. We plan to add support for them in the future once development is farther along or if a contributor implements compatibility for said peripheral beforehand.
Can I just insert a PlayStation 3 game disc and start playing games?
In its current state, RPCS3 does not support reading game data directly from PlayStation 3 format discs. PlayStation 3 discs are formatted in a very special way that can only be read with an actual PlayStation 3 system, or a compatible Blu-ray drive from select manufacturers. For more information on what Blu-ray drives are capable of reading games, please refer to the Quickstart Guide.
Where do I get PlayStation 3 games and software?
Typically, you want to dump your own PlayStation 3 games and software from your own console. We believe that this is the most efficient and safest way to migrate your disc-based games and digital games from your console to your PC.
You can also dump games using select compatible Blu-ray drives. Not every Blu-ray drive will recognize PlayStation 3 games due to how data is formatted on the disc. For more information on what Blu-ray drives are capable of reading games, please refer to the Quickstart Guide.
How do I dump PlayStation 3 games and software?
You will need two different tools for dumping PlayStation 3 game discs from a Blu-ray drive. For more information on how to get started dumping your own games, please refer to the Quickstart Guide.
Can I play multiplayer games online with real consoles or other RPCS3 users?
Online multiplayer is something we’re thinking about and that already works on a very small amount of games with simple network code. We may not focus on it until RPCS3 is as stable and as accurate as possible. Playing games online with real PlayStation 3 systems will require the user to connect to a PlayStation Network server in many cases, thus requiring private PSN servers to be made first.
Can I play local-multiplayer games with RPCS3?
Local-multiplayer is completely supported. We support up to 7 concurrent controllers at any given time, just like original PlayStation 3 hardware on both Windows and Linux. The controllers can be assigned with a wide range of configurations. For example, one player can use a keyboard while another can use a compatible gamepad. To learn more about compatible gamepads, please refer to the Quickstart Guide.
Can I import my save data from my real PlayStation 3?
Yes, saves can be imported from a real PlayStation 3 system using the standard USB flash drive transfer method. Due to how the user account system works on a real PlayStation 3 system, in some cases, you may need to re-sign your save. For more information on how to manage your save data within RPCS3, please refer to the Quickstart Guide.