In an exciting development this week, the team behind the PlayStation 3 emulator, RPCS3, revealed they’ve successfully introduced stable, native support for the Arm64 architecture across Windows, macOS, and Linux. Interestingly, this update even extends to the versatile Raspberry Pi 5, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in emulation on such a humble device. While the Pi 5 had previously managed to emulate GameCube and, albeit less effectively, Wii games, it seems that with the right tweaks, it can now tackle PS3 emulation on today’s entry-level Arm hardware.
If you’ve got a Raspberry Pi 5 handy, you might be interested to know that running PS3 emulation on it is akin to pushing the very limits of what emulation can achieve, especially when you start fiddling with settings. By scaling down the resolution to 273p, similar to that of a PlayStation Portable, it’s possible to play some 3D titles like God of War (and its sequel in the HD format), Catherine, and Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm. Naturally, 2D games are more playable, but achieving any kind of acceptable framerate with PS3 3D games on the Raspberry Pi 5 is a feat that defies typical expectations for this device.
On the macOS front, the story takes a different turn. Native support for Arm on Apple Silicon is eliminating the x86 emulation bottleneck, leading to jaw-dropping framerate improvements—sometimes doubling—when playing PS3 games. This efficiency leap moves performant PS3 emulation on Arm-powered devices from what was once a fantasy into concrete reality.
Contrasting the Raspberry Pi 5’s PSP-like performance, testing on Apple Silicon showcases its impressive capabilities, handling demanding PS3 titles like God of War III and Skate 3 with surprising ease. Although these games are more challenging to emulate compared to HD remasters of PS2 classics, they’re fully enjoyable as long as the hardware holds up its end of the bargain.
