PS5PCEM
Experimental PlayStation 5 emulation and interoperability research in Zig
Native guest execution · RDNA2 shader translation · Vulkan rendering · Windows launcher
Download prototype · Documentation · Compatibility status · Report an issue
Important
PS5PCEM is an experimental emulator under active development. A growing number of tested titles reach gameplay, and several are already playable, but compatibility, performance, graphics, audio, and stability still vary by title and hardware. Use only game content and system files that you are legally entitled to use. See the current compatibility status.
Launcher
A native Windows library with local cover art, per-title saves, input profiles, and direct game launching.
The launcher remembers up to 48 recent titles across pages of eight, shown as cover
tiles or as a table and searchable by title, title ID or folder name. It reads artwork
from each title's local sce_sys/icon0.png, detects DualSense and DualShock controllers,
and keeps portable settings and savedata beside the application. It reports
whether the host can run Vulkan before a title is started, naming the device it
found, can invoke the package extractor on a debug package directly, and asks
GitHub Releases whether a newer version is available.
See it running
 Cat Quest III — island gameplay |
 Jets 'n' Guns 2 — tutorial gameplay |
 Asterix & Obelix: Slap Them All! — gameplay |
 The Precinct — title menu and new-game prompt |
 Ghost of Yotei — intro video, decoded and presented |
 Subnautica: Below Zero — opening-area gameplay after the sRGB lighting fix |
 Ghost of Yotei — difficulty selection over a loaded 3D scene (0.6 FPS; not playable yet) |
 GTA III: The Definitive Edition — opening gameplay at Callahan Bridge (shadow defects remain) |
 Ghost of Yotei — character scene (development capture, September 26, 2026; rendering artifacts remain) |
 Ghost of Yotei — tree scene (development capture, September 23, 2026) |
See the compatibility and progress for the exact scope and current limits of every claim.
What exists today
- Native x86-64 guest execution on Windows with ELF/SELF loading, relocation, module linking, TLS, firmware HLE, savedata, and contained-fault diagnostics.
- Stateful AGC command-stream execution and a growing RDNA2-to-SPIR-V shader pipeline for graphics and compute workloads.
- Vulkan VideoOut with resident render targets, image alias tracking, timeline scheduling, typed storage images, texture detiling, depth/stencil, and MSAA.
- Host audio, H.264/AAC playback through FFmpeg, Sony controller HID support, XInput and keyboard fallbacks, and launcher-managed input profiles.
The detailed implementation status lives in Implementation status, the observed title milestones in Project status and compatibility, and subsystem internals are indexed in the architecture documentation.
Download
The current Windows x64 prototype is 0.3.4:
The prototype requires Windows 10 2004 or newer, an x86-64-v3 CPU (AVX2, BMI2
and FMA), and a current Vulkan 1.2-capable graphics driver. The applications and
installer carry SHA-256 Authenticode signatures and timestamps from
CN=Artur Strazewicz, O=PS5PCEM. This certificate is self-signed, so Windows may
still display an Unknown Publisher or Microsoft Defender SmartScreen warning.
Quick start
- Install the per-user build or extract the portable ZIP.
- Start
ps5pcem.exe. - Choose a directory containing a decrypted title you are legally allowed to use, then select Launch game.
Games, firmware, keys, system libraries, and console software are not included.
Documentation
| Guide | Contents |
|---|---|
| Documentation index | Complete map of user and developer documentation |
| Building and command-line usage | Zig builds, tools, packaging, CLI usage, and library integration |
| Project status and compatibility | Screenshots, measured title milestones, and current limits |
| Implementation status | What the emulator can do, subsystem by subsystem |
| Architecture | RDNA2, GPU, Vulkan, memory, loader, HLE, CPU, diagnostics, and runtime internals |
| Release notes | Changes in the latest packaged prototype |
| License and legal note | GPL obligations, bundled dependencies, and project scope |
Architecture reference:
overview ·
rdna2 ·
gpu ·
vulkan ·
memory ·
loader ·
hle ·
cpu ·
diag ·
runtime
Support
Development can be supported through Boosty or Patreon.
License and project scope
Copyright © 2026 Artur Strazewicz. PS5PCEM is licensed under the GNU General Public License, version 3 or later.
PS5PCEM ships no games, console firmware, system libraries, keys, or copyrighted material belonging to the hardware vendor. It is intended for interoperability research and education. Read the complete legal note.