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Tool

ps3recomp

Toolkit and runtime for statically recompiling PlayStation 3 games into native executables. Python tools parse PS3 ELF and PRX files, find functions and firmware imports, and lift PPU and SPU code to C/C++; a project template links that code with a C/C++ runtime providing LV2 system calls, high-level emulation of the system libraries and RSX graphics translation to Direct3D 12, Metal or Vulkan.

Requirements and limitations

  • The README for v0.15.0 (released 2026-10-16; the reviewed master commit is two commits ahead) reports about 93 complete and 5 partial high-level-emulated system-library modules, with media decoding and SPURS still partial. Only Windows with Direct3D 12 runs a recompiled game from this tree; macOS and Linux build the runtime and pass its tests, but no title has yet booted to gameplay there.
  • Users supply a decrypted ELF of the game executable (EBOOT.BIN) from their own legally obtained copy; the repository ships no keys, firmware or game files and does not decrypt retail executables. The optional firmware low-level-emulation path also needs decrypted firmware modules that the user provides. Each game is ported in its own project: the README lists The Simpsons Arcade Game and Tornado Outbreak as in game in separate repositories, which this record does not cover.
  • Building from source needs Python (3.10+ in the README, 3.9+ in the build guides), CMake 3.20+ and a C17/C++20 compiler (MSVC or clang-cl, GCC 12+ or Clang 15+). SDL2 is required off Windows, and FFmpeg is optional and loaded at run time for video and ATRAC3plus decoding. Releases ship prebuilt SDK bundles with the runtime library, headers and Python pipeline for Windows x64, macOS arm64 and Linux x64. Last commit at review: 2026-10-16.
  • CI builds the runtime and runs the lifter test suites and C unit tests on Windows, macOS arm64 and Linux, plus the Vulkan backend on lavapipe; the README states that a passing check does not mean a game ran. A lifter conformance suite checks the C emitted for single instructions against expectations derived from the PowerISA, and a regression gate compares five ports with recorded milestone logs before shared-runtime changes land.
  • MIT-licensed; the vendored ATRAC3/ATRAC3plus decoder taken from PPSSPP stays LGPL-2.1-or-later. The README states that the project contains no Sony code, firmware, keys or copyrighted material and that its system-library modules are written from documented behavior, with RPCS3 used as a behavioral reference rather than a code source. This collection did not build or run it, and no game compatibility is implied.

About this entry

Type
Tool
Category
Game analysis tools
Relationship
Foundation tool
Targets
Binary · Game

Sources reviewed

The description was reviewed against primary sources. This does not establish runtime testing, security auditing or verified compatibility.

Primary sources

  1. README.md GitHub · sp00nznet/ps3recomp · Revision 39a3629
  2. docs/GETTING_STARTED.md GitHub · sp00nznet/ps3recomp · Revision 39a3629
  3. docs/BUILDING.md GitHub · sp00nznet/ps3recomp · Revision 39a3629
  4. docs/REGRESSION_GATE.md GitHub · sp00nznet/ps3recomp · Revision 39a3629
  5. docs/FIRMWARE_LLE.md GitHub · sp00nznet/ps3recomp · Revision 39a3629
  6. tools/test_ppu_lift.py GitHub · sp00nznet/ps3recomp · Revision 39a3629
  7. LICENSE GitHub · sp00nznet/ps3recomp · Revision 39a3629
  8. third_party/at3_standalone/README.txt GitHub · sp00nznet/ps3recomp · Revision 39a3629
  9. https://github.com/sp00nznet/ps3recomp/releases/tag/v0.15.0