This week brought exciting news from the team behind RPCS3, the PlayStation 3 emulator. They’ve announced that RPCS3 now natively supports the Arm64 architecture on Windows, macOS, and Linux. This includes the surprisingly versatile Raspberry Pi 5, which is now pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in emulation. Previously, the Raspberry Pi 5 has dabbled in emulating GameCube and Wii games, albeit with mixed success on the latter. However, with the right tweaks, it seems even PS3 emulation is within reach on today’s basic Arm hardware.
In a surprising turn, PS3 emulation on the Raspberry Pi 5 is throwing down the gauntlet in the world of emulation. By dialing down the resolution to a PSP-like 273p, a far cry from the PS3’s typical 720p, developers have found a way to make certain 3D games playable. Titles like God of War and its sequel (originally PS2 classics), Catherine, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm, and others are inching closer to playability. Clearly, 2D games fare much better, yet achieving tolerable framerates with 3D titles from the PS3 era is a remarkable feat for the Raspberry Pi 5.
On the MacOS front, embracing native Arm architecture has resulted in significant performance boosts on Apple Silicon for PS3 games. By running natively instead of through the cumbersome x86 translation layered over intensive PS3 hardware emulation, players are seeing framerates improve by 50-100%. This shift transforms Arm-powered PlayStation 3 emulation from a distant hope into an exciting reality.
While the Raspberry Pi 5 might mimic the PSP, Apple Silicon tests are truly showcasing the prowess of the hardware. Impressive titles like God of War III and Skate 3, which are more challenging to emulate compared to PS2-turned-PS3 HD remasters like God of War HD, are being enjoyed on Arm architecture devices that can manage the load. The potential here is noteworthy, as it proves these powerful PS3 games are not out of reach for high-performance Arm setups.
