How to Play PS3 Games on PC with RPCS3 (2025)

How to Play PS3 Games on PC with RPCS3 (1)

Emulating the PS3 on a PC used to be impossible due to the console’s complicated architecture. But thanks to RPCS3, you can easily play PS3 games on your PC now. Here we show you how to play PS3 games on your PC.

Content

  • System Requirements
  • Download the PlayStation 3 Firmware
  • How to Get PS3 Games
  • Game Compatibility
  • Booting PS3 Games
  • Configure the Controls
  • Additional Configurations
  • Upgrade Games With Patches

System Requirements

Before you start, you’ll need to make sure your PC is up to the task of running RPCS3.

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Although you can run RPCS3 with the bare minimum hardware requirements, users should run it within the development team’s recommended requirements for the best experience:

Intel Laptop

  • CPU
    6 cores and 12 threads, 8 cores or more
    Intel Skylake architecture or newer
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 22H2 or later, Windows 11 22H2 or later, Linux 6.5, 6.1 (LTS) or later
  • Graphics Card
    Dedicated graphics card with Vulkan compatibility and 4GB of VRAM or greater
  • RAM
    16GB RAM or greater
  • Storage
    SSD storage for emulator data, SSD or HDD storage for games

AMD Laptop

  • CPU
    8 cores and 16 threads or greater
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 22H2 or later, Windows 11 22H2 or later, Linux 6.5, 6.1 (LTS) or later
  • Graphics Card
    Dedicated graphics card with Vulkan compatibility and 4GB of VRAM or greater
  • RAM
    16GB RAM or greater
  • Storage
    SSD storage for emulator data, SSD or HDD storage for games

Mac Desktop

  • CPU
    8 cores or greater
  • Operating System
    macOS 12.6+, 13.0+, 14.3+ or later
  • Graphics Card
    Radeon dGPU with 2GB of VRAM or greater and Vulkan compatibility (Intel CPU Macs only)
  • RAM
    16GB of RAM/Unified RAM or greater
  • Storage
    SSD storage for emulator data, SSD or HDD storage for games

Download and Install RPCS3

Visit RPCS3’s official site, and download the emulator for your operating system. This guide shows how to set up RPCS3 in Windows, but the process is similar for all supported operating systems.

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The Windows version is available as a ZIP archive. Extract the downloaded archive, and run the rpcs3.exe file.

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Download the PlayStation 3 Firmware

RPCS3 emulates the PlayStation 3’s hardware, but you will need to download Sony’s official PS3 firmware from the official PlayStation site to run games or apps.

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On the Sony PlayStation homepage, click on Support, then select the Support button from the drop-down menu.

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On the PlayStation support page, click the Hardware & Repairs button.

Click the PlayStation 3 button.

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Click on System software update -> PS3 System update.

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Right-click the Download PS3 Update button, and select Save As.

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In the dialog box, choose the location for the PS3 system update file download. Return to the RPCS3 emulator. Click on File in the menu bar at the top, and select Install Firmware.

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Point RPCS3 to the PlayStation 3 firmware file you downloaded for the necessary files to be downloaded.

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RPCS3 will inform you when the process is done.

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RPCS3 will pre-compile modules to help your games load faster.

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Now that RPCS3 is properly configured, you’re ready to start playing games.

How to Get PS3 Games

RPCS3 supports digitally downloaded games in PKG files and disc-based games in either ISO or uncompressed folder format. The easiest and arguably only legal way to get your hands on PlayStation 3 games to run within RPCS3 is to dump (rip) PS3 games you own with your PlayStation 3 console or your PC.

Dumping a PS3 Game via a PS3 Console

Using a PlayStation 3 console is considered the best way to dump disc-based games and the only way to dump digitally downloaded games. However, your PS3 console will need to run custom firmware, which will violate the user terms outlined by Sony.

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To dump disc-based games, you’ll need to use multiMAN homebrew software. Transfer the dumped files over to a PC via an external drive or FTP connection between your PlayStation 3 and your computer.

Dumping a PS3 Game via PC

You can also dump PlayStation 3 discs using a Blu-ray drive. However, not all Blu-ray drives will recognize a PS3 disc. Thankfully, the RPCS3 website has a list of compatible Blu-ray drives that can read PS3 discs.

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A piece of software called Disc Dumper is the easiest way to decrypt your PS3 game disc, as it automates the process. However, you can also use the Linux command line or manually dump your discs. Find more detailed instructions in the RPCS3 Quickstart Guide.

Game Compatibility

Not every PS3 game will work, but you can review a comprehensive list of compatible PS3 software. Currently, the list features 3,694 games and apps, with about 69% (2,555) playable. This list is updated all the time, so be sure to check back regularly.

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Booting PS3 Games

Once you have some games, you’ll need to show the RPCS3 where it can find them. To do so, install the game by selecting File -> install.pkg, then launch it with a double-click.

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Alternatively, boot disc-based games directly by selecting Boot Game, then choosing its ISO or folder. Disc-based games may also need installation through the emulated PlayStation 3’s interface.

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Note that when booting a game for the first time, RPCS3 will compile more files it needs to run. RPCS3 only needs to do this once, so be patient.

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Configure the Controls

Now that you’re ready to play a game, you will need to configure the controls. Fortunately, RPCS3 supports a wide variety of control options, including keyboard and mouse. You can even opt for a console-specific controller to scratch your nostalgia itch. To get everything set up with your personal preferences, click on Pads in the menu bar at the top of the RPCS3 screen.

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Use an actual PlayStation controller connected to your PC by choosing DualShock 3 or DualShock 4 from the Handlers pull-down menu in the top left. Furthermore, Xbox and other Xinput controllers are also supported.

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Verify that the controller is detected by moving the analog sticks while watching their input live in the two circles at the bottom right of the window. Feel free to remap any buttons.

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Additional Configurations

While RPCS3 is an impressive technological feat, it’s still a work in progress, meaning you’ll likely run into a problem or two. Thankfully, the RCPS3 emulator allows you to apply custom tweaks to individual games. These configurations can help with graphical issues, audio problems, and more. For example, in our case, Demon’s Souls was displaying its graphics as shadows.

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Use custom configurations by right-clicking on a title in the game list and choosing Create Custom Configuration. Thankfully, RPCS3 maintains a database of recommended configurations for individual games. This takes the guesswork out of tweaking a game’s settings for optimal performance.

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With your custom configuration applied, relaunch RPCS3, and boot up your game. If the custom configuration is compatible, you shouldn’t experience any further hiccups.

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Anti-Aliasing

The PS3 was a performance beast, but today’s PCs are much more powerful. Therefore, you can enable Anisotropic Filtering and Anti-Aliasing in RPCS3’s GPU settings. This can smooth graphics and increase detail. Even better, you can bump up the Resolution Scale to upscale the emulated game’s graphics.

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Note that some games may “break” when the emulator’s settings are pushed beyond the abilities of the PlayStation 3’s original hardware, so taper your expectations.

Upgrade Games With Patches

RPCS3 allows you to download patches for games. These patches tweak the game’s code for a variety of benefits. Patches can help to increase compatibility and take advantage of a PCs’ increased horsepower. Some patches even fix annoyances, such as allowing you to skip previously unskippable videos.

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To apply these patches, launch RPCS3, and open the patch management window from Manage -> Game Patches. Finding patches available for your games is detailed on the RPCS3 Wiki.

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RPCS3 has passed the phase of trying to emulate most of the actual hardware, and now its team is squashing bugs, increasing its compatibility, and optimizing its performance, with new releases almost every month. Therefore, even if a game doesn’t work today, it’s worth trying it out again when newer versions of RPCS3 are released. If the PlayStation 2 was more your jam, and you own a Mac, you’re in luck. If you want to experience retro gaming on the go, be sure to check out the best Game Boy Advance emulators for Android.

Image credit: Unsplash. Screenshots by Ryan Lynch.

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How to Play PS3 Games on PC with RPCS3 (30)

Ryan Lynch - Staff Writer

Ryan is an English & Film Studies teacher. He splits his time between Australia and the United States. He passes the time on long haul flights by playing retro video games from his youth.

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How to Play PS3 Games on PC with RPCS3 (2025)

FAQs

Is it possible to play PS3 games on PC? ›

The first step to playing PS3 games on your PC is to download the emulator software. RPCS3 is a popular choice for Windows users, offering free access to a wide range of PlayStation 3 titles. The software is constantly updated, ensuring compatibility with a growing list of games.

Does RPCS3 play PS3 games? ›

Short answer: Nope. Long answer: PCSX2 is strictly for PS2. RPCS3 is your go-to for PS3.

Can my PC handle a PS3 emulator? ›

The PC must have at least 4 GB of RAM, 8 GB recommended, an x86-64 CPU and a GPU supporting one of the supported graphics APIs: OpenGL 4.3 or greater, or Vulkan, the latter being recommended.

Is RPCS3 trustable? ›

VirusTotal and Hybrid Analysis show no detections, this program is well-trusted in the community, is from the official source and was fine before.

Is there a real PS3 emulator for PC? ›

RPCS3 is a multi-platform open-source Sony PlayStation 3 emulator and debugger written in C++ for Windows, Linux, macOS and FreeBSD.

Do PS3 discs work on PC? ›

PlayStation 3 discs are formatted in a very special way that can only be read with an actual PlayStation 3 system, or a compatible Blu-ray drive from select manufacturers.

How can I play my PS3 through my computer? ›

Attach one end of the HDMI cable to your PS3's HDMI output port. Connect the other end of the HDMI cable to the HDMI input port on your laptop.

Is it legal to use RPCS3? ›

RPCS3 is not designed to enable illegal activity. We do not promote piracy nor do we allow it under any circumstances.

Does RPCS3 have backwards compatibility? ›

RPCS3 supports Sony's PS1emu as of today. PS2emu is not yet supported. Both these emulators are present in the PS3 Firmware for backwards compatibility. We cannot change the way these were programmed, we can only make them compatible with RPCS3.

What console does RPCS3 emulate? ›

RPCS3
Original developer(s)DH, Hykem
EmulatesPlayStation 3, PlayStation Classics (PSN versions)
CompatibilityCompatibility list
WebsiteRPCS3.net
Support ($)Patreon Alipay
11 more rows

What does RPCS3 stand for? ›

So RPCS3 stands for Russian Personal Computer Station 3.

Are game emulators legal? ›

While emulation software itself are legal as long as they don't infringe copyright protections on the console, emulating games is only so when legitimately purchasing the game physically and ripping the contents.

Can a low end PC run PS3 emulator? ›

The latest version of the popular PlayStation 3 emulator, RPCS3, allows for greatly improved performance on low-end CPUs. The team behind the RPCS3 project has released a new build of the PS3 emulator, version v0. 0.32-16614, and the performance gains on lower-end processors are quite major.

How do I import a save game into RPCS3? ›

Answers
  1. Put the save on a USB drive.
  2. Plug the drive into one of your controller ports.
  3. In the home screen of the console, navigate to your saves and find the entry for the USB drive.
  4. Select the file from the USB drive and choose to copy it.
Aug 12, 2023

How do I transfer game files to my PS3? ›

Transferring data
  1. Using an Ethernet cable, make a direct connection between the two PS3™ systems. ...
  2. Connect the PS3™ systems to different video input connectors on the TV. ...
  3. Turn on the TV, and then turn on the PS3™ systems. ...
  4. On the source PS3™ system, select (Settings) > (System Settings) > [Data Transfer Utility].

Where does RPCS3 install PKG files? ›

The downloaded files will be stored in the Updates folder inside the folder where you extracted Pysn. To install these update PKGs, go to File → Install Packages/Raps in RPCS3's GUI, then select the PKGs, or simply drag & drop them on RPCS3's window.

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