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ShadPS4

ShadPS4 is an early PlayStation 4 emulator written in C++, available for Linux, macOS, and Windows under an open-source license.

Place
#29 of 35
Score
6.1
ShadPS4's website

What ShadPS4 is

ShadPS4 is an early PlayStation 4 emulator written in C++, available for Linux, macOS, and Windows under an open-source license. The Qt launcher provides a graphical interface and can download stable or nightly emulator versions. Standalone releases run from a terminal without a GUI. The project warns that many games do not work, and working games usually have emulation issues. Minimum graphics requirements include a GPU with at least 2 GB of VRAM and Vulkan 1.3 with specified extensions. The guide calls for at least 8 GB of RAM and Windows 10, Ubuntu 22.04, or macOS 15.4. Games, updates, and DLC must be dumped from the user's own copies. Users may also provide dumped PS4 firmware modules where needed. Listed features include graphics upscaling, local multiplayer, Big Picture Mode, screenshots, and an initial OpenAL audio backend. Netplay is not supported. Help is available through Discord, and the project accepts issues, pull requests, and code contributions.

Good

  • Free and open-source
  • Linux, macOS, and Windows versions
  • Qt launcher with stable and nightly downloads
  • Graphics upscaling included
  • Local multiplayer support

Watch out

  • Many games do not work
  • Working games may have emulation issues
  • Requires at least 8 GB RAM
  • Netplay is not supported

Who it suits

ShadPS4 suits users interested in early-stage PS4 emulation who can provide their own game dumps and meet the stated hardware and operating-system requirements. It also suits contributors interested in an open-source project.

Verdict

ShadPS4 provides a free, cross-platform starting point for PlayStation 4 emulation, with both graphical and terminal-based releases. Compatibility remains an explicit limitation, so users should expect an early-development experience and supply their own dumped game files.

Plans and prices

From ShadPS4's own pricing page, checked 8 Oct 2001.

All about pricing
PlanPriceWhat it gives you
shadPS4Freeearly development · game compatibility varies

The facts

Each one read from ShadPS4's own pages, with the date it was checked.

What it does

Command line
The standalone emulator releases contain no GUI and run from the terminal.checked 8 Oct 2001
Contributions
The site welcomes pull requests and invites users to file issues or contribute code.checked 8 Oct 2001
Features
The v0.16.0 release post lists local multiplayer support, Big Picture Mode, screenshots, and an initial OpenAL audio backend.checked 8 Oct 2001
Firmware
Users can provide dumped PS4 firmware modules to improve game compatibility where modules are not yet implemented.checked 8 Oct 2001
Funding
The site describes Ko-fi donations as optional and says they help cover development costs such as hardware, games, and project maintenance.checked 8 Oct 2001
Game compatibility
The project says many games do not work, and games that do work usually have emulation issues.checked 8 Oct 2001
Game files
Games, updates, and DLC must be dumped from the user's own copy of the game.checked 8 Oct 2001
Graphics requirement
The minimum GPU requirement is at least 2 GB of VRAM and Vulkan 1.3 with specified extensions.checked 8 Oct 2001
Launcher
The Qt launcher provides a graphical interface and can download stable and nightly emulator versions.checked 8 Oct 2001
Privacy
The privacy policy says hardware, operating system, configuration, game, and version information may appear in local logs and is not automatically transmitted to the project.checked 8 Oct 2001
Purpose
shadPS4 is an early PlayStation 4 emulator written in C++.checked 8 Oct 2001
Support
The site directs users to Discord for help, questions, and general discussion.checked 8 Oct 2001
System requirements
The guide specifies at least 8 GB RAM and Windows 10, Ubuntu 22.04, or macOS 15.4.checked 8 Oct 2001
Website data
The privacy policy says the project uses cookies for login sessions and language preferences and retains forum and wiki IP addresses for anti-abuse purposes.checked 8 Oct 2001

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