PlayStation 5 now runs PlayStation 3 games through RPCS3 on Linux
PS5 Linux users are now testing RPCS3 on older firmware, with MotorStorm Pacific Rift shown running on Sony’s current console.
PlayStation 5 is now being used to run PlayStation 3 games locally, although not through any official Sony feature. The new tests come from the recently released PS5 Linux project , which allows compatible PS5 consoles to boot Linux and run PC software.
Lots of ifs
This is a follow-up to our earlier coverage of PS5 Linux, which turns some original PlayStation 5 consoles into Linux PCs . The main limitation is not learning Linux, it is that the project supports only PS5 models running firmware 3.xx and 4.xx. This is because newer OSes were fixed for any jailbreaks, and the ability to run Linux is no longer possible on them.
The new development is that users are now running RPCS3 on this Linux environment. RPCS3 is an open-source PlayStation 3 emulator for Windows, Linux, macOS and FreeBSD, so once Linux is running on PS5, the console can run the emulator like a PC.
RPCS3 na PlayStation 5 to najlepsze co ostatnio spotkało ten sprzęt. Motorstorm Pacific Rift działa jak złoto. Tylko na PS5 3.XX -4.XX z Linuxem na pokładzie. #PS5linux #RPCS3 pic.twitter.com/JMsuVMPWvG
— Retropierdolnik (@retropierdolnik) May 2, 2026
Polish modder showed MotorStorm Pacific Rift running through RPCS3 on PlayStation 5. According to the post, the game runs well, but only on PS5 consoles with 3.xx to 4.xx firmware and Linux installed. This is not native PS3 backward compatibility from Sony. It is PS3 emulation through Linux on hardware that was not updated past the vulnerable firmware range.
‘Technically’ games could running from the physical disc
RPCS3 supports PS3 games through dumped game files, but it does not currently support direct playback from original PS3 discs. One user commenting under the post suggested that disc support should be technically possible with this setup. Even if that turns out to be true, the more practical method is still to dump the games first and run them locally from storage.
This also means PS3 discs are not suddenly working on PS5 in the same way they would on original hardware, but the PS5 Linux setup simply allows the console to run the Linux version of RPCS3 outside Sony’s normal GameOS environment.
Sony does not offer native PS3 game support on PS5. The only official path for selected legacy PlayStation content remains PlayStation Plus Premium cloud streaming where available. That service does not provide general local PS3 disc support on PS5. The PS5 Linux path is also limited because it requires older firmware and does not support Sony’s online services.
Source: Retropierdolnik
