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Windows Central
Windows Central
Technology
Adam Hales

Your handheld PC might soon play old PlayStation 3 games better — here's why developers want your help

ROG Ally playing Little Big Planet.

For those not in the loop, RPCS3 is a PlayStation 3 emulator that has made impressive progress over the years. It now allows users to play games like God of War 3, Uncharted 3, and many more on PC, provided the games are sourced legally.

It is also worth pointing out that emulation itself is legal. A common misconception is that emulation is illegal, but that is not the case.

Legality only becomes an issue when games are obtained illegally. If you own a legitimate copy of a game and dump it from your own disc to your PC, the process is legal.

Now, with all that fluff out of the way, let’s go over just what RSPCS3 team said and what users can expect.

What RPCS3 is planning for handheld gaming PCs

ROG Ally playing Little Big Planet (Image credit: ASUS | RSPCS3)

Thanks to the rise of the best handheld gaming PCs, the team behind RPCS3 is asking users for feedback on how the experience could be improved on portable devices.

Alongside that request, it has also outlined several changes it is currently working on that could benefit handheld players:

  • A redesigned in-game home menu
  • More settings that can be changed on the fly without restarting a game
  • Better mapping of the home menu button
  • Adding games to Steam directly from within RPCS3

These are only the features currently planned. However, the team has also reached out on X (formerly Twitter), asking users what else they would like to see to improve the handheld experience.

There are not many suggestions yet. One user asked for a SteamOS-style big picture mode equivalent for the emulator, while others simply want a better interface when navigating menus in-game.

That is where you come in. If you use RPCS3 on a handheld PC, you can head over to the post and let the team know what features or improvements you would like to see.

🗨️ Do you use RSPCS3 or do you prefer sticking to original hardware?

It has been a rather emulator heavy week. From an original Xbox emulator releasing on Android, to an Xbox 360 emulator appearing on iOS, and now improvements coming to the PS3 emulator on PC for handhelds.

It really does feel like a great time for emulation. It is also something I have always thought PlayStation should explore more seriously if it wants to revive older titles, whether on its own consoles or on PC.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments and make sure you take part in our poll below:


Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.


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