- The RPCS3 PS3 emulator was able to run on PS5 through a Linux hack.
- Older PS3 launch titles performed brilliantly on the console through emulation.
- However, later games that utilised the PS3 SPUs weren’t too great, meaning that fans will need the PS6 and its CPU for perfect emulation.
Backward compatibility for PS3 titles has been a bone of contention for the longest time now. Many of the console’s games aren’t available natively on PlayStation 5 due to the PS3’s unique CPU.
Of course, there is a solution to this problem on PC, the RPCS3 emulator, which recently gave a 7% FPS boost to demanding titles across all CPUs. Now, an analyst has finally tested the miraculous emulator natively on the PS5, and the results are a mixed bag.
Why it matters: Despite previous tests stating that PS5 has enough power to emulate PS3 games, it seems like emulation varies game to game, and only PS6 can solve this everlasting issue.
Digital Foundry used the recent Linux hack to run the RPCS3 emulator natively on PS5, testing out titles like Killzone 3, GTA 4, and Ridge Racer 7. The analysts wanted to check how the PS5 bodes compared to the PS3’s specialised coprocessors called SPUs.
Games that were part of the console’s launch period, like Ridge Racer 7 and Resistance: Fall of Man, ran incredibly well on the PS5 as they didn’t utilise the PS3’s SPUs too heavily. Both titles showcased smooth performance and improved visuals on the current-gen hardware, with Ridge Racer 7 running at 60FPS in 2160p.
The emulation only showcased major issues when trying to run games that heavily utilised the PS3’s SPUs. GTA 4 drops to 17FPS at 720p on the PS5, which is due to the current-gen console’s CPU and its inability to emulate the PS3’s special processing unit.
Metal Gear Solid 4 showcased a similar downgrade in frame rate, but this trend varied from game to game, and some titles like God of War: Ascension and Killzone 3 run pretty well on PS5. MLAA anti-aliasing was a graphical post-processing technique used by developers that occupied a ton of SPU processing on PS3.
Hence, by turning it off, Killzone 3 ran at 1440p and native 4K while maintaining a solid 30FPS. Digital Foundry sums up these interesting results by saying that fans might have to wait for PS6 to properly emulate PS3 titles without CPU limitations hindering performance in some games.
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Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
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