Changes

{{Infoboxemulator|image logo = RPCS3-Logo.png|first version = 0{{Version|RPCS3}}<ref group=N name=version>The developers are currently treating version increments as milestones, not as stable builds.0.3 Alpha*</ref>|second active = Yes|third platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]]<br/>[[Emulators on Linux|Linux]]<br/>[[Emulators on BSD|FreeBSD]]<br/>[[Emulators on macOS|macOS]]|target = [[PlayStation 3 emulators|PlayStation 3]], [[PlayStation emulators|PlayStation Classics]] <small>(PSN versions)</small>|architecture = x86_64|orig-developer = [https://github.com/DHrpcs3 DH], LinuxHykem|fourth developer = [https://rpcs3.net/about RPCS3 Team]|prog-lang = C++|fifth website = [https://rpcs3.net/ RPCS3.net]|support = [https://www.patreon.com/Nekotekina Patreon]<br/>[https:// rpcs3.net/alipay Alipay]|sixth source = [https://github.com/rpcs3/rpcs3 GitHub]|license = GNU GPLv2|compatibility = [https://rpcs3.net/compatibility Compatibility list]|bios = [[Emulator_Files#PlayStation_3|Required]]}}

'''RPCS3''' is a an open-source [[PlayStation 3 (PS3) emulators|PlayStation 3]] emulator/debugger written in C++ for Windows, Linux, macOS and PS Vita FreeBSD. It is the only emulator thatcan run commercial games, with over 2,000 considered playable. It also supports the PS3's very promising. Currently usable for a handful of commercial titles (see the internal [[https://rpcs3.net/compatibility compatibility listPlayStation emulators|PlayStation 1 emulator]]). Recent efforts have allowed it to also begin emulating through the PS Vita in a basic manner; do note that no games are currently playable howeverPlayStation Classics digital re-releases.

{| cellpadding="4"|-|align=center|{{Icon|Win|Lin|Mac|BSD}}|'''[https://rpcs3.net/download Latest builds]'''<br/><small>[https://www.playstation.com/en-us/support/hardware/ps3/system-software/ Official Firmware] needed.|}

Originally, you needed ==Overview==RPCS3's end-goal is for its developers to extract the firmware from a modded PS3experiment, but since these files are also distributed with updatesresearch, and educate on the developers added the ability to extract them from there insteadtopic of PlayStation 3 emulation that can be performed on compatible devices and operating systems. <ref>[https://wwwrpcs3.playstation.comnet/en-usabout RPCS3: About Us page]</support/system-updates/ps3/ This ref> As it is where you would get them.] Then install under active development, it by going to Tools -> Install Firmwaredoes not have a stable release.

Fonts can be found ===History===RPCS3 began on May 23, 2011 as an experimental project by DH and Hykem (who beta-tested and coded for [[JPCSP]] in 2008). They initially hosted the project on [https://code.google.com/archive/p/rpcs3/source/default/source Google Code], and eventually moved it to GitHub later in its development, making the repository publicly available in June of 2012. AlexAltea joined in late summer 2013 and worked on several components of the emulator, maintaining the codebase up until early 2015. DH left the project in mid-2016, turning his attention to the PlayStation 4 with the similarly named [https://github.com/RPCSX/rpcsx RPCSX] (formerly named RPCS4). Hykem was pushed out of the scene in mid-2016 due to drama behind the scenes.<ref>[Emulator Fileshttp://www.emunewz.net/forum/showthread.php?tid=174735 <nowiki>[IMPORTANT]</nowiki> Hykem says goodbye] page.August 18, 2016.</ref>

==Overview==RPCS3 was started in May of 2011. Three years into its developmentAfter getting small homebrew apps working, it the emulator could load the intros to some games with sound,<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOcUcD9y51wRpcs3 Update Quality Sound - Intro Video - The Guided Fate Paradox] (Mar 26, 2014)</ref> as well as play some portions of Disgaea 3 and The Guided Fate Paradox, but with heavy graphical glitches and no sprites.<ref name="Disgaea3 video">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQEv6B6fIgARPCS3 WIP - Disgaea 3 - Ingame!] (Mar 22, 2014)</ref> Successive improvements brought with it the ability to play lightweight titles like After Burner Climax with almost no glitches.<ref>John GodGames. (February 1, 2016) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsuKQfsu-zk RPCS3 PS3 Emulator - After Burner Climax Ingame #2! DX12]. YouTube.</ref> After getting Persona 5 working, Atlus infamously sent the developers and Patreon an DMCA takedown notice to help enforce a timed-exclusivity agreement with Sony,<ref>[https://atlus.com/atlus-and-emulation/ Atlus and Emulation].</ref> creating a [[wikipedia:Streisand effect|Streisand effect]] of spotlighting RPCS3 as a viable PS3 emulator. For a long time, it was commonly thought that the original firmware files could only be extracted from a modded PS3, which would have greatly increased the barrier to entry. However, one of the developers discovered all the libraries were actually bundled with each system update, and that the emulator could include the ability to extract the files. Nekotekina opened [https://www.patreon.com/Nekotekina a Patreon campaign] in 2017, with kd-11 joining not long after. In June 2018, after a few improvements and fixes, most PlayStation 1 Classic titles became playable.<ref>[https://rpcs3.net/blog/2018/07/15/progress-report-june-2018/#major Progress Report: June 2018]. § PlayStation 1 Classics.</ref>Only the PSN re-releases work; no discs can be loaded into the PS1 emulator yet. In January 2022, RPCS3 announced that the XMB could be ran on firmwares as low as 2.80. Today, RPCS3 is able to play almost two thirds of the PS3's commercial library from start to finish. Emulating most games is demanding on hardware, though work has been done to reduce the requirements. On May 5, 2022, RSXAudio was implemented, adding audio to the XMB. Also on that month, RPCS3 uploaded a video on YouTube showing the SPU performance improvements made at the time. ===Enhancements===RPCS3 has (or works with) some [[PlayStation_3_emulators#Enhancements|enhancements]] for gameplay, such as:;[https://rpcs3.net/blog/2018/08/08/eliminating-stutter-with-asynchronous-shader-implementation/ Asynchronous Shader Recompilation]:Compiles shaders as the game runs, allowing for [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu-HwEEU5K0 virtually stutter free performance] at the cost of objects and textures [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59q7wbeJLOo popping into existence] as you play. It only gives a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGWk1p7pCVk tiny performance boost] - a powerful computer and further optimizations from the emulator will be needed to get the more demanding titles to run at full speeds like 30 FPS or 60 FPS. Many demanding games may utilize multiple secondary cores plus the primary core of the PS3's CPU so parallelization techniques will be needed, perhaps running on a user's GPU or 8-core and better CPU. ;[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sag4SF7dDrw ReShade]:A third-party suite that hooks into the renderer. Makes many games appear [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPcHjnTZC_o more vibrant or saturated], particularly more pronounced in those with dull textures like the Tales of series, Naruto series, and other anime-based titles.

Developer Nekotekina opened ;[https://www.patreonrewasd.com/Nekotekina releases/release-6.3.0 reWASD]:A third-party application which can emulate any controlling device (gamepad/keyboard/mouse) as a Patreon campaignPS3 controller. After installing [https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Controller:DualShock_3#Wired_connection_-_official_drivers Official Sony Drivers] , Virtual DualShock 3 is visible in 2017RPCS3 as native device and allows to map theirs pressure-sensitive buttons with modifiers eg. pressing left back button+× is decreasing pressure-sensitivity of × to 50%, but right back button+× is decreasing pressure-sensitivity of × to 20%. Exclusively software allows to use Official Sony Driver wirelessly. ReWASD works with kdXbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, Steam, Nvidia, Logitech controllers and [https://help.rewasd.com/how-to-remap/supported-devices.html others]. Pressure-11 joining not long aftersensitive buttons option is helpful in games like "Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots" or "Gran Turismo 5". See the [https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/List_of_games_that_support_Pressure-Sensitive_Face_Buttons#PlayStation_3_Emulation list of games that support Pressure-Sensitive Face Buttons on PlayStation 3].

The emulator is capable of running some games at a playable speed with no major glitches, such as Ice Age 3: Dawn of The Dinosaurs,<ref name="Ice Age 3 Video">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhCVRLi2qdk</ref> Resogun,<ref name="Resogun video">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtU7E9o7F_E</ref>, After Burner Climax <ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsuKQfsu-zk</ref>, and Demon's Souls <ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3_WiNow_gE</ref>;See [[PlayStation_3_emulators#Enhancements]] section for more information about RPCS3 enhancements capabilities.

It will still take a while before it can play the more complex games===System requirements===See [[Computer_specifications#RPCS3]].

===Installing the Firmwarefirmware===RPCS3 does not work without firmware. This uses the original system firmware contains libraries used to interface with the games in different ways, like such as Bluetooth, PlayStation Eye, and so on. For a long time, it was commonly thought that these libraries could only be extracted from a modded PS3, which would have greatly increased the barrier to entry, however one of the developers discovered all the libraries were actually bundled with each system update, and that  [https://www.playstation.com/en-us/support/hardware/ps3/system-updates/ps3software/ You can extract them from the official update files that Sony also supplies these updates distributes through their website.]. This is the preferred method of installing the firmware; download Download the latest update from Sonyfile, then in RPCS3 go to File -> Install Firmware, and select the downloaded update file.

===Installing Games games and Updatesupdates===

* May be Maybe dumped from the <code>\dev_hdd0\home\00000001\exdata</code> directory of a CFW-enabled PS3, or included alongside the download you got from someone else. That someone else might not include the .RAP file, and instead give a "fix" with the pre-decrypted files. In that case, you might have to install the PKG file first (or all of them, if there's are multiple ones) and ''then'' copy and overwrite the "fix" files to your game folder.* If your source doesn't include a RAP or crack instructions, either it's replaced beforehand or it's actually useless. A The last resort can be to try searching for a fix for the specific release.

'''Files under the <code>.66600x</code> extensions''' are split files that accommodate for the 4 -gigabyte filesize file size limit on volumes formatted as FAT32; the PS3 does not support other types of filesystems that pass this limit, such as NTFS or the ext family. Use a tool like PS3merge to recombine these files. ===Updating RPCS3===Note that RPCS3's official Discord server can also be a good resource for bringing up issues or learning about major breakthroughs or updates if any further information is required.

==Basic troubleshooting==Windows====Issues are Newer versions of RPCS3 feature an automatic update checker. The emulator will automatically check for updates when loaded, and will prompt you to be expected since the emulator update if a new version is still early (even though the project was started in 2011)detected.

===Audio Stutter=Linux====Cannot be completely eliminated in most casesRPCS3 is compiled to AppImages using Azure. To update RPCS3, [[{{PAGENAME}}#Download|download the latest build]], but you can at least try to mitigate it by playing around and replace your previous AppImage with the "Preferred SPU Thread" setting as well as new one. Reenable executable permissions if they were disabled during the "lower SPU thread priority" and "Bind SPU thread" to secondary core settingsupdate. Most file managers can let you change it from their properties window.

In addition manually adjusting priority and affinity of the ==Netplay==[https://wiki.rpcs3.net/index.php?title=Help:Netplay RPCS3 process can affect it independently of the other internal settingsuses RPCN for netplay,] which emulates some P2P matchmaking servers for PS3 games. On WindowsOnly a few titles are supported, this is done via the Task Managerbut more are expected. On Linux, CLI and GUI tools exist like System Monitor and Task Manager that can change the prioritySee [https://docs. It varies by distributiongoogle. This can influence audio stutter and performance in general but especially for Ryzen userscom/spreadsheets/d/1Xp-662d12W13CZSzSiaBfB4BHwU2PyOFMdp_W4sA5Bo/edit#gid=0 this compatibility list].

==Notes=Unavailable Setting(s)=<references group==If you can't find a specific setting in RPCS3, you could be using an old build, and should probably update it.N />

*[https://wiki.rpcs3.net/ Official wiki]*[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz3-0QxNr4S4gK0xaWy7exQ Official YouTube Channelchannel]*[https://discordapp.com/invite/EWMQZ8 Official Discord server]*[https://forums.rpcs3.net/ Official forums]