With scalpers taking all the stock and no silver lining in sight, it’s no wonder so many people are taking to the internet to search for PS5 Emulators.
But beware, as there are a lot of devious scams out there, scams that even managed to fool us!
The gaming community provides solutions to all of life’s problems. We’ve covered lots of well known emulators in the past such as the popular PS2 emulator PCSX2 and some of the best PSP emulators like PPSSPP.
At first glance, it already looks as though work on PS5 emulators is in full swing with lots of promising results appearing on the internet over the last couple of months.
Sadly, we’re here to tell you that some sneaky hobbitses are trying to scam disappointed gamers and kicking them while they’re down, which is not cool! Here’s everything we know about PS5 emulators and why they’re not coming anytime soon.
Hang on though; I want to stress three things first before the trolls come out in force.
Firstly, PS5 emulators don’t have the same backing as the best PlayStation emulators we covered previously. This is very much new territory for everyone and we’re working on what we’ve seen plus assumptions for the future.
Secondly, the sharing of ROMs is very much illegal, so don’t be telling anyone we told you to do it, because we haven’t, capish? Treat this article as Ted Talk on emulation and its practical applications in the real world, or a dungeon map that you might find in a Zelda game.
Thirdly, Retro Dodo does NOT condone any illegal skullduggery and wants to very much stay out of prison forever. Always check the legality of ROM downloading in your area and follow guidelines on both copyright laws and internet safety.
Table of Contents
Uncovering The Truth About PS5 Emulators
What Are Emulators?
Let’s start with the basics so everyone knows what’s going on.
Remember that scene in the Hobbit movie where Beorn the Skinchanger becomes a bear? Well, emulators use the same sort of magic to turn your laptop, PC, phone, or tablet into a games console.
Ok, I say magic, but it’s actually virtual plugins that recreate the inner workings of a console. Think of them as tricking your device into momentarily thinking its a PS5 or a SNES.
In 2021, lots of people are ripping the files from their existing games so that they can play them on the go or on a work computer. Like Quicktime Player loads video files, emulators load these game files, though some are better than others.
As an example, many of our favourite Retropie handhelds use emulators to recreate retro games, as does the PS1 Classic Console.
I feel a little like I’m holding a lecture here, but stick with me. These ripped files are called ROMs, and this splendiferous article on how to install ROMs gives more information on how they work!
Don’t forget that the sharing of ROMs is an intergalactic crime, and neither Brandon nor I fancy prison life.
What Are People Excited For PS5 Emulators?
As I mentioned above, with scalpers taking all of the PS5 consoles that drop in shops, emulation seems to be the only logical next option for people to play their favourite games!
The main benefits people are looking forward to aside from actually playing games bought on launch day without the PS5 promised alongside them is playing on the go or away from home.
The problem is that that isn’t going to happen any time soon.
The PS5 is pretty advanced, and until smartphones hold the same amount of processing power as Elon Musk’s souped up PC, gaming on the go is impossible.
Even the latest PC’s with high end graphics cards struggle to use PS5 emulators. Anyone saying that it does, are currently lieing. Many gamers have tried to emulate the PS5 but its just not there yet, it’s far too early.
What Are The Obstacles Stopping PS5 Emulators?
The main problem we face is the sheer amount of processing power needed to pull off virtually recreating a PS5. We’re beginning to see good results with the best Nintendo Switch Emulator programs, but the PS5 is a much more powerful machine.
Recreating a console virtually is harder than it seems, and while the tech in modern laptops and PCs is closer to the chips and gubbins used in next generation consoles, it’s still like asking a rock to pretend its a duck while standing on a bed of coals.
The main obstacle is our own devices. If money is no object, which only accounts for a small percentage of the world, then buying a computer powerful enough to encounter any emulator will be a breeze.
For many of us still rocking old phones and laptops, however, our systems just can’t cope with the strain of running these emulators.
I know scalpers are getting you down, but don’t flock to the nearest website and give away your details to a stranger on a whim.
Check out a few of the examples we found on the internet below.
Checking Out The Fakes
As you know from my previous articles, a good emulator website instils a lot of confidence in me. After checking out the aptly titled ‘PS5 emulator’, we found a super-sleek website with videos of the games running on PC. Each page sported download links through to the relevant pages for various systems, and we found a support page with a contact email address.
It looked unbelievably good, though it was too good to be true.
The emulator, supposedly written in C++, works on Windows, Android, and iOS. The developers even stated from the off that mistakes are bound to occur, but that they are keen to make the best program.
Tugging at the heart strings!
PSemuX was another program we came across boasting nice visuals. It also professed to be open-source which usually instills confidence in users as the code comes with license guarantees.
Claiming to have been working on recreating the PS5 from the ground up since the console was announced, the developers apparently used PS4 emulators as a starting point and provided contact details for any bugs spotted.
The screenshots of Spiderman: Miles Morales and Demon Souls supposedly with both running at 144fps on a souped-up PC blew us away.
See, even we’re human and get duped sometimes!
Can I Play PS5 Games Anywhere On The Internet?
This might seem a bit of a cop out for those hoping we’d found a loophole, but it’s the best thing we can hope for right now.
PlayStation Now might be a paid subscription service, but you don’t have to have a PC that looks like a super computer from a Bond film to run games on it.
Word on the street is that PS5 games are heading to PlayStation Now over the coming months.
PlayStation Now allows gamers to play the vast PS back catalgoue on a variety of systems including PC. It’s 100% legal as it’s a Sony streaming platform, and there’s no need to worry about save files dissapearing or having to transfer said save files between devices.
This is probably going to be the best bet for a long time until a PS5 emulator arrives that can run suitably on both new and old devices seamlessly.
Things To Remember…
I know the pull of downloading PS5 emulators is tempting, but don’t be duped into giving your contact details to a page that isn’t real. We didn’t go that far, but it’s easy to see how some people could get in too deep and end up regretting it.
If a website uses stock images like an office team in shirts and ties, then move away from it. I can’t remember the last time I saw a development team dressed in suits in the workplace, so that’s a no go straight away.
Unfortunately, if you want a PS5, then the best bet right now is waiting to purchase a PS5 console. It’s going to be ages until emulators are ready to use, and even then, the quality just won’t be the same.
Instead, practice patience and replay the best PS2 games. Check out some of the best PS2 emulators for playing games on the go too!
Just remember to make sure you only use your own ROM files!
