RPCS3

Overview

RPCS3 is a free, open-source emulator for the Sony PlayStation 3. An emulator is a program that imitates a console so its games can run on another device, here a computer. The PS3 is one of the hardest consoles to imitate, and RPCS3 has been developed since 2011. A large part of the library now runs, sometimes at a higher resolution and frame rate than on the real console.

RPCS3 is not a one-click tool. It needs a fairly powerful computer, a file called the PS3 system software, and games that you copy from your own discs or console. This guide explains each step and why it is needed.

Before you start, look up your game in the RPCS3 compatibility list. It tells you whether the game is known to run (from Playable down to Nothing) and often gives settings to use.

Key words explained

• Firmware or system software: the operating system of the console (menus, system libraries). PS3 games call on it all the time, so the emulator needs a copy to run them. RPCS3 installs it once.

• Game dump or disc copy: a copy of your game made from your own disc or console, in a form the emulator can read. For PS3 it is usually a folder (see Adding your games).

• PKG: an installer file for a digital game, update or add-on bought on the PlayStation Store.

• Licence file (RAP or EDAT): a small file that proves a digital game was bought. Some digital games will not start without it.

• Renderer: the way the emulator talks to your graphics card to draw the picture. RPCS3 offers Vulkan (the recommended choice) and OpenGL.

• Shader: a small program that tells the graphics card how to draw a surface. The emulator has to translate the console's shaders for your card. This is called shader compilation and it can make the game freeze for a moment the first time something appears.

• Shader cache: the saved result of that translation. Once saved, it does not need to be done again.

• Resolution scale: how much sharper than the console's original picture the game is drawn.

• Frame rate (fps): how many images per second. Many PS3 games run at 30 fps, some at 60.

• Custom configuration: settings that apply to one game only.

• Hotkey: a keyboard shortcut for an action of the emulator, such as pausing.

System requirements

RPCS3 depends mostly on the processor. The PS3 has an unusual processor, and imitating it is heavy work. The official quick start guide lists the exact minimum and recommended hardware and is the reference. As a rough guide:

• A recent 64-bit processor with at least 4 cores (a faster one with 6 cores or more is much better), 8 GB of memory or more, and a graphics card that supports Vulkan.

• Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit), Linux, macOS or FreeBSD, according to the builds the project offers.

• Free disk space: games are large, and the caches add more. An SSD shortens loading times.

To check your computer on Windows, open Settings > System > About: it shows your processor and memory. For the graphics card, open Task Manager, then the Performance tab, then GPU. If your computer is old or low-end, many games will be too slow to enjoy.

What you need

• RPCS3 itself, from the official download page.

• The PS3 system software (firmware). It is needed because games rely on the console's own system libraries. Sony publishes it for free on its official PS3 system software page. The file is called PS3UPDAT.PUP; do not rename it, because RPCS3 looks for that name.

• Your games. RPCS3 comes without games. They must be copied from your own discs or your own console. The quick start guide has a section on how to do this.

• A controller (optional): a DualShock 4, DualSense, Xbox controller or similar works; a keyboard also works.

This sheet does not provide, name or explain where to find games, firmware copies from other sources, or encryption keys.

Installation

1. Download RPCS3 from the official download page. Pick the build for your operating system.

2. Windows: extract the downloaded archive into a folder you own with plenty of free space (not inside Program Files), then run rpcs3.exe. Extracting means unpacking the archive; running it from inside the archive does not work.

3. Linux: download the AppImage (a single file that runs without installation), make it executable (right-click > Properties > Allow executing, or chmod +x in a terminal), then run it.

4. macOS: open the downloaded file, drag RPCS3 into your Applications folder, and allow it in System Settings > Privacy & Security if macOS blocks it the first time.

5. Windows only: if a message says a DLL file is missing, install the latest Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable (x64). It is a set of common Microsoft components that many programs need.

Also update your graphics drivers before the first launch. Drivers are the software that lets Windows or Linux use your graphics card, and RPCS3 needs a recent Vulkan-capable one: NVIDIA, AMD, Intel.

First setup

On the first launch, RPCS3 may show a welcome window that offers to read the quick start guide and to set a few options. Read it, then continue.

1. Install the firmware. In the menu bar, choose File > Install Firmware and select the PS3UPDAT.PUP file that you saved from Sony's page. RPCS3 unpacks it and installs the system modules; this takes a few minutes. When it is done, a message says the firmware was installed.

2. Check the controller. Open Configuration > Pads (or the Pads button), pick a handler (the type of controller input: for example DualShock 4, DualSense, XInput for Xbox pads, or Keyboard) and a device, and check each button. See Controls below.

3. Leave the other settings at their defaults for now. The defaults are the safe starting point, and you can create settings for one game only later.

How to know it worked: the Manage or Utilities menus and the game list work normally, and starting a game no longer asks for the firmware. If you see "firmware not installed", repeat step 1 and check that the file is the complete, unmodified PS3UPDAT.PUP.

Adding your games

Disc games: a PS3 disc copy is a folder that contains a PS3_GAME folder. Choose File > Add Games and select the folder that holds your game folders. RPCS3 scans it and adds the games to its list. You can also drag a game folder into the window.

Digital games and updates (PKG files): choose File > Install Packages/Raps/Edats, then select the PKG file. If your digital game has a licence file (RAP or EDAT), install it too, from the same menu entry; without it, the game may not start. Game updates install the same way and often improve compatibility.

How to know it worked: the game appears in the list with its icon and title. Double-click it to start. If it does not appear, check that the folder really contains PS3_GAME and that the copy of the disc is complete.

The first launch of each game is slow: RPCS3 compiles the game's code (a one-time step shown in a progress window) and later its shaders. Following launches are much faster.

Controls

Controller mapping means telling the emulator which button of your real controller acts as which button of the PS3 controller. Each player has its own tab in the Pads window.

1. Open Configuration > Pads.

2. Pick a Handler and a Device. Controllers that RPCS3 knows are mapped automatically.

3. To change a button, click it in the list and press the button you want on your controller.

4. Click Save. Check in a game that every button works.

• The PS button opens the in-game system menu on a real PS3; map it to a button you do not need during play.

• Some games use the motion sensors of the Sixaxis controller; they work with a controller that has motion sensors, such as a DualShock 4 or DualSense, if the handler supports it.

• Accessories (guitars, the PlayStation Move) work only in some games; the quick start guide gives details.

• A game can be stopped from the Emulation menu or by closing its window. Look at the hotkeys of your version in Configuration > Emulator, as the list may differ between versions.

Graphics and performance settings

Open the settings with Configuration > GPU, CPU, Audio and so on. Changing a setting for every game can break another game, so the best method is: right-click a game, choose Create Custom Configuration, and change settings only there, following the advice on the game's compatibility page.

• Renderer: Vulkan. It is the fastest and best supported on most graphics cards. Change it only if a game has graphical bugs and its page suggests otherwise.

• Resolution scale (GPU tab): 100% is the console's original size. 150% gives about 1080p and 300% about 4K. A higher value makes the picture sharper but needs more graphics card power. Lower it if the frame rate drops.

• Anisotropic filter: makes textures that are seen at an angle, like a road, sharper. 16x costs little.

• Shader mode: leave the default asynchronous mode. It lets the game keep running while shaders compile, which reduces freezes (some objects may briefly appear late).

• Frame limit: leave it on Auto. Do not remove it, because many games run too fast without it.

• PPU Decoder and SPU Decoder (CPU tab): keep Recompiler (LLVM). The decoders are the method used to imitate the console's processors; LLVM is the fastest and is the default.

• Audio: keep the defaults. If the sound crackles when the game slows down, try enabling time stretching.

Game patches: the Manage > Game Patches window lists community patches for many games, such as 60 fps unlocks. Download the latest patch list there, tick the patches you want for a game and save. Patches are optional and can cause bugs.

If your computer is close to the minimum, keep 100% resolution, the default settings, and only try games rated Playable. A mid-range computer can use 150%. A powerful one can try 200% and up.

Saves

An in-game save is the normal save of the game, written to a save file, like on a real PS3. A save state is a snapshot of the whole emulator at an exact moment. RPCS3 does not offer save states in the usual way: save from inside the game.

• RPCS3 stores everything in a folder that imitates the console's hard drive, called dev_hdd0. Save data is in dev_hdd0/home/00000001/savedata.

• To back up your progress, copy that folder to another place. To move to another computer, copy it into the same place there.

• The Manage menu has tools to list and manage the saves of each game and the trophies you earned. Trophies work like on the console.

Updating

RPCS3 is updated often. It checks for updates when it starts and offers to download the new version; accept and restart. You can also download the latest build again from the official page. Your saves and settings are kept. After an update, the first launch of each game may take longer because caches are rebuilt.

Common problems

• Symptom: a message says the firmware is missing. Cause: it was never installed or the installation failed. Fix: use File > Install Firmware with the unmodified PS3UPDAT.PUP from Sony's page.

• Symptom: a digital game does not start. Cause: its licence file is missing. Fix: install the RAP or EDAT file with the PKG, through File > Install Packages/Raps/Edats.

• Symptom: the game freezes for a moment when new things appear. Cause: shaders are being compiled. Fix: wait; it fades as the shader cache fills.

• Symptom: a very long compilation after updating RPCS3. Cause: caches are rebuilt for the new version. Fix: wait; it happens once per version.

• Symptom: a missing DLL error on Windows. Cause: Microsoft components are missing. Fix: install the latest Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable (x64).

• Symptom: a black screen or a crash at start. Cause: often outdated graphics drivers or a game that is not compatible. Fix: update the drivers, then check the game's compatibility page for known issues and settings.

• Symptom: low frame rate. Cause: the processor is the limit. Fix: close other programs, plug in the charger on a laptop, lower the resolution scale, and keep the default CPU settings.

• Symptom: a game that worked now fails. Cause: a corrupted cache. Fix: right-click the game and remove its shader cache, then start it again.

Going further

• RPCS3 quick start guide

• RPCS3 compatibility list

• RPCS3 download page

• RPCS3 on GitHub

• RPCS3 wiki

• PS3 system software page (Sony)