shadPS4: A PlayStation 4 Emulator for Windows, Linux, and macOS

shadPS4: A PlayStation 4 Emulator for Windows, Linux, and macOS

Summary

shadPS4 is an early-stage PlayStation 4 emulator developed in C++ for Windows, Linux, and macOS. This ambitious project aims to bring PS4 gaming to multiple platforms, already demonstrating compatibility with titles such as Bloodborne and Dark Souls Remastered. The project is under active development, showing promising progress towards a more complete emulation experience.

Repository Info

Updated on October 12, 2025
View on GitHub

Tags

ps4-emulatorcppemulationgamingopen-sourcewindowslinuxmacos

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Introduction

shadPS4 is an ambitious, early-stage PlayStation 4 emulator developed in C++. Designed to run on Windows, Linux, and macOS, this project aims to bring PS4 gaming to a wider audience. Despite being in active development, shadPS4 has already achieved significant milestones, successfully running several notable titles. The team is committed to making regular updates and improving compatibility, even with limited free time.

Installation

For most users, building shadPS4 from source is not necessary. You can easily download the latest stable releases or development builds:

If you wish to build shadPS4 from source, detailed instructions are available for each platform:

Important Note on Firmware: To run games properly, shadPS4 requires specific PlayStation 4 firmware modules. These modules must be dumped from your legally owned PlayStation 4 console and placed in shadPS4's sys_modules folder. Supported modules include libSceCesCs.sprx, libSceFont.sprx, libSceFontFt.sprx, libSceFreeTypeOt.sprx, libSceJson.sprx, libSceJson2.sprx, libSceLibcInternal.sprx, libSceNgs2.sprx, and libSceUlt.sprx.

Examples

Currently, shadPS4 can successfully run a variety of PlayStation 4 games. While the experience is not yet flawless due to its early development stage, the emulator demonstrates impressive compatibility with titles such as:

  • Bloodborne
  • Dark Souls Remastered
  • Red Dead Redemption
  • Hatsune Miku Project DIVA Future Tone
  • Yakuza 0
  • DRIVECLUB™

For a comprehensive list of compatible games and their current status, please refer to the shadPS4 Game Compatibility list.

Why Use shadPS4?

shadPS4 stands out as a promising open-source PlayStation 4 emulator for several reasons:

  • Multi-platform Support: Enjoy PS4 emulation on Windows, Linux, and macOS.
  • Active Development: Despite being a passion project, the team is dedicated to consistent updates and improvements.
  • Community Driven: A vibrant community on Discord provides support, discussions, and a platform for suggesting ideas.
  • Open Source: Licensed under GPL-2.0, shadPS4 encourages contributions from the community, fostering collaborative development.
  • Early Success: Already capable of running significant titles, it offers a glimpse into the future of PS4 emulation.

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