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You Can Now Play Your Physical PS3 Games on PC Straight from the Disc
The hobbyist emulator RPCS3 has added support for playing PlayStation 3 games directly from a physical Blu-ray disc, rather than requiring users to first dump their game files to a computer. The update is notable timing given Sony's own plans to phase out physical media support and wind down PS3-related services, making the fan-made project appear ahead of the platform holder in supporting owners of physical game collections.
Users will need a compatible Blu-ray disc drive, with RPCS3 maintaining a list of supported models, and there are reportedly plenty of options to choose from. RPCS3 already supports more than 75% of the PS3's game library, including titles unavailable elsewhere such as Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time and inFAMOUS 2. Currently, PS5 owners cannot play PS3 games natively at all, aside from streaming via PS Plus Premium, while Sony is set to end physical media support in January 2028 and shut down the PS3's online store the following summer.
In short
- RPCS3 emulator now supports playing PS3 games straight from Blu-ray discs
- Requires a compatible disc drive; over 75% of PS3 library is supported
- Comes as Sony plans to end physical media and PS3 store support by 2028
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Direct disc support makes it easier for people to use games they already own and may help preserve titles as Sony reduces support for the PS3. Supporters can argue that a community emulator fills a gap for players whose newer consoles do not run these games natively, while still requiring users to have a compatible drive and physical disc.
The case against
Sony could reasonably argue that ending legacy physical-media and store support reflects the costs and technical demands of maintaining ageing services, and that streaming offers one way to keep some PS3 games accessible. It may also have legitimate concerns about protecting its software and platform rights, so a fan project’s practical value does not remove the questions around compatibility, licensing and long-term support.
Explained simply
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a Sony games console released in 2006. Its games came on Blu-ray discs, and RPCS3 is a fan-made computer program, known as an emulator, that recreates the console so some PS3 games can run on a PC.
Sony no longer makes PS3 consoles, and its newer PS5 cannot run PS3 games from discs. Some are available to stream through a paid PlayStation service, but owners of physical game collections may be interested in ways to keep playing their discs as consoles and services change.