The world of PC gaming emulation is trying to catch up to the latest and greatest consoles. Emulation has become relatively common for playing retro games that never got a native PC port back in the day on systems like the GameCube, PlayStation 1 & 2, N64, or even older NES. Some people, however, do use emulators to play more modern games. ShadPS4 is one good example, and has become one of the only ways to play PS4 exclusives like Bloodborne on PC. And now, ShadPS5 could be in development.

A ShadPS5 repository has been spotted on GitHub, though there isn’t a whole lot to go off right now; the readme section is currently empty. The repository has been added by Xphalnos, who maintains ShadPS4 game compatibility and is a prominent contributor to the project.

An earlier upload was removed soon after appearing

Word of the appearance of ShadPS5 on GitHub was making the rounds on social media sites such as X (formerly Twitter) early today. However, the original repository was soon removed from GitHub, instead redirecting you to a 404 error. We can’t be sure why this is this case, though, especially as a current-gen console, we can see why Sony would be quick to discourage any kind of PlayStation 5 emulation, no matter if its in its infancy.

Nintendo is another company which has become infamous for cracking down on emulated content (and any kind of console modifications), specificially targetting ROM sites to ensure that illegal copies of classic games are not being distributed online. However, it’s important to note that emulators themselves are generally legal – it’s just not OK to distribute the copyrighted ROMs (game files).

It seems unlikely that much will come of the ShadPS5 project anytime soon, especially since development on its previous-gen equivalent is still very much ongoing. The example we gave earlier, Bloodborne – which gamers have been asking for a native PC port for a long time for – still doesn’t run that amazing, especially if you don’t have a powerful gaming PC. It isn’t a simple as having specs which are as good as the PS4, emulation is a lot more taxing on your system.

About the Author

Jack Goodall

At PC Guide, Jack is mostly responsible for reporting on hardware deals. He also specializes in monitors, TVs, and headsets and can be found putting his findings together in a review or best-of guide.