This week brought a breakthrough for the team working on the PlayStation 3 emulator RPCS3. They announced that RPCS3 now offers robust, native support for Arm64 architecture across Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms. What’s particularly fascinating is that this support extends to the Raspberry Pi 5, utterly challenging the boundaries of what was considered possible with this tiny device. Historically, the Raspberry Pi 5 could handle emulating GameCube and the Wii (though the latter with less success). Yet now, with the right tweaks, it seems even PS3 emulation can be achieved on contemporary entry-level Arm hardware.
If you’re curious about how this looks in action, there’s a video you can check out on YouTube showing RPCS3 running on arm64 Linux with the Raspberry Pi 5. It’s a delightful visual treat for tech enthusiasts.
Emulating PS3 games on the Raspberry Pi 5 is indeed pushing the “limits of PlayStation 3 emulation.” Utilizing specific settings, the games appear more like they are running on a PlayStation Portable (PSP) due to downscaling the resolution from PS3’s 720p to the PSP’s 273p. Yet, this clever trick allows some 3D games, like God of War and God of War II HD, Catherine, and Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm, to become a reality on the Pi. Naturally, 2D games run even more smoothly, but managing playable framerates for 3D PS3-era titles on a Raspberry Pi is no small feat.
For those interested in the technical achievements on macOS, the shift to native Arm architecture support from merely emulating x86 has resulted in significant performance improvements on Apple Silicon. Framerates have jumped by 50-100%, proving that native Arm-powered PlayStation 3 emulation is not just a pipe dream.
On Apple Silicon, we see impressive results with games that typically require a lot of computing power, such as God of War III and Skate 3. Although these are much tougher to emulate than some of the easier PS2-to-PS3 HD ports, they demonstrate the capability of Arm architecture to handle demanding software, provided the hardware is up to the task.
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