AnyPS5: PS5 Game Porting Tool
/AnyPS5
AnyPS5 converts PS5 executables into runnable PC binaries without an emulation layer, which is genuinely novel, but it only works for games whose system library calls have been reimplemented—others throw runtime errors. If your target game is on the compatibility list, the port works; if not, you are waiting for contributors to add coverage. For preservation-minded developers and researchers who want to study PS5 code on accessible hardware, this is worth the setup friction; for anyone who just wants to play arbitrary PS5 games, RPCS3 already does that better today.
The challenge of running PS5 games on PC
PS5 games run on proprietary hardware with a closed SDK. Developers who want to study, preserve, or port these titles have no documented path to run them on a standard PC without either building a full emulator from scratch or relying on commercial middleware with licensing barriers. The gap is not emulation theory — it is having reimplemented system libraries that let PS5 code execute natively after a binary format conversion.
What is AnyPS5?
AnyPS5 is a PS5 executable converter that transforms .self files into native Windows or Linux binaries using a custom relinker and reimplemented PRX system libraries. It compiles to a dynamic library you link into your game process, intercepts PS5 system calls, and redirects them to portable C++ equivalents. The shader recompiler translates the console's GPU intermediate format into SPIR-V, which standard Vulkan drivers accept without modification. No separate runtime, no virtualization — the ported game runs as a normal PC process after the relinker rewrites its executable headers.
How AnyPS5 converts PS5 executables
- ✓Relinker that rewrites PS5 executable headers into ELF/PE formats for Windows and Linux without a separate virtual machine
- ✓Reimplemented PRX system libraries exposing dynamic linking equivalents of PS5 kernel functions in C++
- ✓SPIR-V shader recompiler that validates output through Spirv-Tools when built with ANYPS5_ENABLE_SPIRV_TOOLS
- ✓SDL2 controller mapping with analog stick and trigger support, plus a configurable key-mouse overlay via anyps5-input.ini
- ✓Error handling that throws std::runtime_error on unsupported or unexpected PS5 states and terminates cleanly
- ✓Verified game compatibility list tracking tested titles and known issues per release
- ✓No copyrighted firmware, keys, or proprietary runtime required — builds from public documentation and clean-room implementation
What the project can and cannot do
- •Porting homebrew PS5 executables to run natively on Windows or Linux for development and testing
- •Running verified PS5 games on PC hardware when their system library calls are covered by AnyPS5
- •Researching PS5 system call behavior through a clean reimplementation without reverse-engineering production binaries
- •Shader analysis via SPIR-V output, validated against Spirv-Tools for correctness
- •Preserving PS5 titles by creating platform-independent builds that do not require original hardware to execute
- •Modding verified titles using standard PC development tools after the relinker converts the executable format
Building AnyPS5 from source
Clone the repository and follow docs/dev/BUILD.md. A CMake-based build system handles dependencies. No prebuilt binaries are distributed, so expect to compile the relinker, the core library, and the shader recompiler yourself. CMake will pull in Spirv-Tools for validation if you enable the SPIRV_TOOLS flag.
Running the porting pipeline
Run the relinker on a PS5 .self executable to produce a native ELF or PE binary. Link the resulting binary against the AnyPS5 dynamic library at runtime. Configure your input devices by editing anyps5-input.ini in the working directory. Launch the converted executable as a normal process on Windows or Linux. Consult the compatibility list before expecting any given game to work.
Strengths
- ✓No emulation layer means converted executables run as native processes on the host OS, eliminating the overhead of a separate runtime.
- ✓Implemented PRX library stubs enable dynamic linking to the host system's native format without bundling proprietary PS5 system binaries.
- ✓The shader recompiler outputs SPIR-V and validates it via Spirv-Tools when built with ANYPS5_ENABLE_SPIRV_TOOLS, catching compilation errors at build time.
- ✓Input support spans SDL-mapped controllers with analog sticks and triggers, plus keyboard/mouse remapping via an INI file.
- ✓The relinker produces executables for both Linux and Windows from the same source, so a single workflow covers both platforms.
Current limitations and unsupported states
- △System library coverage is partial and grows only when contributors declare new PS5 functions — most commercial games are not yet supported
- △No prebuilt binaries; users must compile from source with a working C++ toolchain
- △Game support requires the specific PS5 system calls used by that title to already exist in core/libs/prx — there is no fallback emulator
- △Shader recompiler targets SPIR-V but the quality and completeness of translation depends on the complexity of the original shader pipeline
- △Error handling terminates the process on unknown states rather than gracefully skipping or stubbing the call
- △Documentation quality varies across sub-projects — the build instructions are clear but some internal design docs are marked as technical debt
Alternatives for running PS5 games on PC
Frequently asked questions
AnyPS5 ports games natively, not emulates. It converts PS5 executables to native ELF/PE format and reimplementations of PS5 system libraries handle kernel calls. No virtual machine or emulation layer runs underneath — the ported game is a normal PC process.
AnyPS5 implements PRX-style system libraries in core/libs/prx. The percentage complete grows as contributors declare more PS5 kernel functions. Check the repository for the current coverage count and the compatibility list to see which titles are verified.
A compatibility list lives at docs/user/COMPATIBILITY.md. Dreaming Sarah is documented achieving a steady 60 fps on a GTX 1050 Ti and i5-7500. Games outside the list are untested and likely unsupported until their PS5 system calls are declared.
No. The project does not distribute or require copyrighted firmware, cryptographic keys, or proprietary libraries. Users supply their own PS5 binaries obtained legally, and AnyPS5 handles the format conversion and system call reimplementation.
AnyPS5 works with SDL2-mapped controllers featuring analog sticks and triggers, as well as keyboard and mouse via a customizable anyps5-input.ini file. Consult docs/user/INPUT_MAPPING.md to find the supported devices and configuration options.
No. Library coverage is incomplete — most commercial titles will fail because their PS5 system calls are not yet implemented. The project is best described as research and preservation infrastructure, not a ready-to-play game launcher.
Who should try it — and who should skip
Try AnyPS5 if you are a researcher, modder, or preservationist who already has PS5 homebrew executables and wants to study or extend them on a standard PC without emulation overhead. The setup cost is real (compile from source, check the compatibility list, potentially contribute new library bindings), but the result is a native binary you can debug with normal tools. Skip it if you want to play commercial PS5 games on PC today — the library coverage is nowhere near complete, and projects like RPCS3 serve that use case better even for older hardware.
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