RPCS3 - General Guide
RPCS3 Links:
Where to put the games?
PS3 games comes either as a Blu-ray rip directory with a bunch of different files or a digital PSN title that needs to be installed (see guide on this page).
PS3 games should be put under the retrodeck/roms/ps3/
directory.
Does RPCS3 require BIOS or Firmware?
Yes, the PS3UPDAT.PUP
firmware
How to: Install the PS3UPDAT.PUP firmware
There are two ways to install the firmware:
Install PS3 firmware from RetroDECK Configurator
- Open RPCS3
RetroDECK Configurator
-RetroDECK: Tools
-Install: PS3 Firmware
. - Press
OK
and this will download the PS3 Firmware and open RPCS3. - You will get a prompt asking if you want to install the firmware from the /tmp/ directory, say
Yes
- Wait for the installation to finish
- Exit RPCS3 from the GUI under
File -> Exit
Manual Download
- Download the latest PS3 firmware
PS3UPDAT.PUP
from Sony here - Open RPCS3
RetroDECK Configurator -> Open Emulator -> RPCS3
. - In the RPCS3 interface navigate to
File -> Install Firmware
. - In the file browser navigate and select the file
PS3UPDAT.PUP
file. - The firmware should now be installed.
How to: Get games to show up inside the ES-DE interface
There are two methods of adding the games.
Note: On devices with a dedicated Game Mode
such as the the Steam Deck it is recommended to do this in Desktop Mode
.
For more details read here:
Method 1: Game shortcuts .desktop files (recommended and default)
This method can be used for all types rips/dumps both directories and installed digital titles.
It's the default method for RetroDECK.
- Open RPCS3 via the Configurator
- Click File -> Add Game -> Browse to game you want to add.
- The game will now show up in the RPCS3 game list.
Right Click
on a game on that list ->Create Shortcut
->Create Desktop Shortcut
- This will create a shortcut to the game on your Desktop.
- Move that shortcut into the
retrodeck/roms/ps3
directory. - It should now show up in ES-DE Frontend in RetroDECK and can be played.
Method 2: Directories as .ps3 files (not recommended)
This method can only be used directory type game dumps. To get the games to show up you need to rename the directory to end with a .ps3
file extension.
Change the ES-DE Settings - RPCS3 Directory (Standalone)
Prerequisite:
You will need to change the ES-DE Settings from RPCS3 Shortcut (Standalone)
to RPCS3 Directory (Standalone)
in ES-DE.
- Open RetroDECK and in the ES-DE Frontend go to
Other Settings
->Alternative Emulators
->PS3
. - Change the value from
RPCS3 Shortcut (Standalone)
toRPCS3 Directory (Standalone)
. - Exit RetroDECK
Rename the directory .ps3
- Go to the
retrodeck/roms/ps3
and put in your directory dumps. - Change the name of the directory so they end with
.ps3
(see example)
Example:
You have directory dump of the a game Blu-ray PlayStation 3 game called Hockey World, the directory is called Hockey World
.
To get the it to show up you need to rename and add .ps3
in the end of the directory name.
The directory Hockey World
becomes Hockey World.ps3
and the game will show up.
How to: Install DLC or patches on disc based games
NOTE: On the Steam Deck this could be easier to do in Desktop Mode
. If you want to do it in Game Mode
you need to press the Steam
button and switch between windows using the window switcher.
If you want to install some DLC or patch you can do that trough RPCS3 itself.
- Open RPCS3
RetroDECK Configurator -> Open Emulator -> RPCS3
. - In the RPCS3 interface navigate to
File -> Install Packages/Raps/Edats
. - In the file browser navigate and select the file you want to install.
- The game can be launched via RetroDECK with patches and DLC already installed.
(OPTIONAL) How to include the DLC or PATCH in the main game files
Some users may want to include their DLC or PATCH files inside the game directory for achiving purposes, or just to don't have to keep these contents spread in the RPCS3 filesystem. It's fully optional but to do so the steps are:
- The files will be installed inside the a new game directory on the RPCS3 hard drive under
retrodeck/bios/rpcs3/dev_hdd0/game/GAMEID
whereGAMEID
is unique for each game PS3GAMEID-List. - The patches or dlc should now be installed inside the
GAMEID
directory. - Move the content of the GAMEID directory into the games directory inside the
retrodeck/roms/ps3/GAMENAME
directory and overwrite & replace the files. - You can now remove the
retrodeck/bios/rpcs3/dev_hdd0/game/GAMEID
directory as the files have been moved.
Example:
- The game
Hockey World
inside theretrodeck/roms/ps3/
has some DLC & and a patch you want to install. - You follow the above guide and install the files.
- The installation made a newly created directory called
BCA111111
underretrodeck/bios/rpcs3/dev_hdd0/game/
. - You open up the directory
retrodeck/bios/rpcs3/dev_hdd0/game/BCA111111
and copy all of it's content and paste it intoretrodeck/roms/ps3/Hockey World
directory and replace/overwrite the files. - You can then remove the
BCA111111
directory inretrodeck/bios/rpcs3/dev_hdd0/game/
How to: Install digital PSN titles
The procedure is almost identical as the procedure above.
NOTE: On the Steam Deck this could be easier to do in Desktop Mode
. If you want to do it in Game Mode
you need to press the Steam
button and switch between windows using the window switcher.
If you want to install some PSN tiltes you can do that trough RPCS3 itself.
- Open RPCS3
RetroDECK Configurator -> Open Emulator -> RPCS3
. - In the RPCS3 interface navigate to
File -> Install Packages/Raps/Edats
. - In the file browser navigate and select the file you want to install.
- The file will be installed inside the games directory on the RPCS3 hard drive under
retrodeck/bios/rpcs3/dev_hdd0/game/GAMEID
whereGAMEID
is unique for each game PS3GAMEID-List. - Install any patches or DLC for the game by repeating step .2 and .3 for each file.
- The game should now show up and be playable inside the ES-DE interface.
(OPTIONAL) Move the digital contents into a game directory
Similarly on how written above with the DLC and PATCHES the user can decide to move the digital games outside the RPCS3 filesystem, in order to do so:
- After the game is ready move the digital games directory from
retrodeck/bios/rpcs3/dev_hdd0/game/GAMEID
toretrodeck/roms/ps3
- Rename the directory to the name of the game and add the .ps3 file extension to the end of the directory (see guide above).
Example:
- You installed a file that contained the digital game Hockey World 2, it created a directory called
BCA123456
underretrodeck/bios/rpcs3/dev_hdd0/game/
- After that you moved
BCA123456
fromretrodeck/bios/rpcs3/dev_hdd0/game/
toretrodeck/roms/ps3
. The directoryBCA123456
is renamed toHockey World 2.ps3
.