Sony PlayStation 5 Can Secretly Emulate PS3 Games, Despite Company Claims
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Despite marketing backward compatibility with PlayStation 4 titles, Sony has conspicuously avoided enabling native PlayStation 3 emulation on the PlayStation 5. However, recent discoveries reveal the PS5 is technically capable of running PS3 games – and the company appears to be deliberately blocking the functionality, opting instead for a subscription-based cloud gaming service.
The roadblock stems from the complex architecture of the original PlayStation 3, which featured an IBM Cell processor. This processor was notoriously difficult for developers and remains a challenge for emulation even today. As Valve’s Gabe Newell famously quipped, the Cell processor was a “waste of everyone’s time.”
But a recent demonstration by YouTuber Lowest Logan suggests Sony’s explanation – that the PS5 hardware simply can’t handle PS3 emulation – isn’t entirely accurate. Logan’s research uncovered a surprising connection to cryptocurrency mining hardware.
From Cryptocurrency Mining to DIY PS5
The AMD BC-250, a card originally designed for cryptocurrency mining, shares significant silicon similarities with the PlayStation 5. While possessing fewer CPU and GPU cores than a standard PS5 due to manufacturing “yield” – the rate of successful production – these stripped-down cards can be repurposed.
Getting the BC-250 to function as a general-purpose device proved challenging. However, a Reddit user successfully booted Ubuntu Linux on the card by downgrading the kernel. Logan and his team then leveraged this breakthrough to investigate why newer Linux kernels lacked GPU support for the BC-250. They identified and reverted the problematic change, ultimately installing a modern version of Ubuntu and effectively creating a functional, albeit underpowered, PC.
The resulting machine isn’t a powerhouse – its CPU performance is comparable to an AMD Ryzen 5 2600X, and the GPU benchmarks around an AMD Radeon RX 480. However, its ability to emulate PlayStation 3 games was surprisingly robust.
RPCS3 Shows the PS5’s Potential
The open-source RPCS3 emulator, a community-driven project, has made significant strides in PS3 emulation. Logan’s tests using the BC-250 demonstrated the potential for PS5-based PS3 gaming. Titles like Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, LittleBigPlanet, and Watch Dogs were playable, with LittleBigPlanet running almost flawlessly. While Gran Turismo experienced graphical glitches and Watch Dogs struggled, the overall performance was encouraging, especially considering the BC-250’s comparatively weaker hardware.
“It’s astonishing how much [RPCS3] was capable of,” Logan noted, highlighting the emulator’s achievements despite its non-official status and the inherent complexities of reverse-engineering the PS3’s architecture.
The fact that RPCS3, developed by enthusiasts, can achieve playable results underscores Sony’s capacity to deliver native PS3 emulation on the PS5. The company possesses far greater resources and expertise, yet chooses not to pursue this option. According to analysis, graphical issues are often attributable to driver or implementation problems, not raw performance limitations.
A Deliberate Choice: Cloud Gaming and Recurring Revenue
Instead of enabling native emulation, Sony promotes PlayStation Plus Premium, a cloud gaming service that allows subscribers to stream select PS3 titles to their PS5. This approach generates recurring revenue for the company, a likely factor in its decision.
Interestingly, the BC-250 can be acquired for under $100 on some online marketplaces, effectively making it a “console-killer” capable of emulating PS3 games at a fraction of the cost of a new PS5 and a PlayStation Plus Premium subscription. While requiring technical expertise to set up, it presents a viable alternative for retro gaming enthusiasts.
Projects like RPCS3 continue to improve with each iteration, but it remains a shame that users must navigate these complex workarounds to access their PS3 game libraries.
