emulator: PPSSPP
type: standalone + libretro
core_classification: official_port
source: "https://github.com/hrydgard/ppsspp"
profiled_date: "2026-10-21"
source_commit: "c86d7a268d1ce9a94ae3be662f987c5b6a724ef9"
core_version: "Git"
display_name: "Sony - PlayStation Portable (PPSSPP)"
cores:
  - ppsspp
  - "PPSSPPSDL"
  - "ppsspp-sa"
systems: [sony-psp]

pack_structure:
  libretro: "PPSSPP"

data_directories:
  - ref: ppsspp-assets
    installed_on: [batocera, emudeck, lakka, recalbox, retrobat, retrodeck, retropie]
    mode: libretro
    destination: ""
    source_ref: "libretro/libretro.cpp:1216-1225, libretro/libretro.cpp:1271"

data_root:
  android:
    path: "Android/data/org.ppsspp.ppsspp/files"
    source_ref: "UI/NativeApp.cpp:648-679, UI/MemStickScreen.cpp:234-240, 371-376, android/src/org/ppsspp/ppsspp/PpssppActivity.java:461-463"
    note: "With scoped storage the memory stick is the folder picked at first launch, this one when setup is skipped, and memstick_dir.txt keeps the choice. Under legacy storage it is the root of shared storage"
  ios:
    path: "Documents"
    source_ref: "UI/NativeApp.cpp:706-708, Core/Util/DarwinFileSystemServices.mm:310-316, 328-331"
    note: "A folder chosen in the settings and kept in the user defaults replaces it"
  windows:
    path: "<folder of PPSSPPWindows64.exe>/memstick"
    source_ref: "Windows/main.cpp:985-1038, 1217-1218"
    note: "installed.txt beside the executable switches to the folder it names, else Documents/PPSSPP, which also serves when memstick cannot be created or written"
  macos:
    path: "~/.config/ppsspp"
    source_ref: "UI/NativeApp.cpp:630-631, 709-710, SDL/SDLMain.cpp:1187-1191, Core/Util/DarwinFileSystemServices.mm:310-316, 332-333"
    note: "A folder chosen in the settings and kept in the user defaults replaces it"
  linux:
    path: "$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/ppsspp, else ~/.config/ppsspp"
    source_ref: "UI/NativeApp.cpp:715-716, Core/Util/PathUtil.cpp:284-300"

notes: |
  Full HLE emulator. No Sony firmware or BIOS required.
  The libretro core is built from hrydgard/ppsspp, the tree of the
  standalone emulator, with its wrapper in libretro/.
  Libretro core loads assets from system/PPSSPP/ via VFS
  (libretro/libretro.cpp:1216-1225, 1271) and warns that core system files
  are missing when compat.ini is absent (libretro/libretro.cpp:1229-1261).
  Assets include replacement PGF fonts (flash0/font/),
  game compatibility database (compat.ini), language mapping (langregion.ini),
  and post-processing shaders (shaders/).
  Fonts are read from the game disc, then from flash0:/font of the NAND,
  then from flash0/font/ in system/PPSSPP/ (Core/HLE/sceFont.cpp:1026-1048).
  Without any of them the font library holds no internal font and
  sceFontOpen returns SCE_FONT_ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER to the game
  (Core/HLE/sceFont.cpp:1197-1199), so text a game draws with the PSP system
  fonts is lost. Without ppge_atlas.zim the system dialogs are not drawn
  (Core/Util/PPGeDraw.cpp:252-255).
  A real firmware is optional. The NAND is <memstick>/PSP/NAND
  (Core/Util/PathUtil.cpp:146-147), which the libretro core places under
  the save directory (libretro/libretro.cpp:1265, 1269). On boot, a game
  disc carrying a newer firmware updater than the installed one is
  unpacked into it (Core/System.cpp:591-594). Its flash0:/font,
  kd/libmp4.prx, kd/mp4msv.prx and kd/mpeg.prx replace the HLE modules
  when present (Core/HLE/HLE.cpp:408-446).
  PSP_DEFAULT_FIRMWARE = 660 (Core/ConfigValues.h:40).

files:
  - name: "ppge_atlas.zim"
    installed_on: [batocera, emudeck, lakka, recalbox, retrobat, retrodeck, retropie]
    mode: libretro
    path: "PPSSPP/ppge_atlas.zim"
    description: "PPGe dialog texture atlas for save/load dialogs, on-screen keyboard, system UI"
    required: false
    source_ref: "Core/Util/PPGeDraw.cpp:252-255"
    note: "Logged as an error if missing. System dialogs render without graphics but core continues running. Batocera, Recalbox, Lakka, RetroPie, RetroBat, EmuDeck and RetroDECK install the assets folder where their core reads it."

  - name: "ppge_atlas.meta"
    installed_on: [batocera, emudeck, lakka, recalbox, retrobat, retrodeck, retropie]
    mode: libretro
    path: "PPSSPP/ppge_atlas.meta"
    description: "PPGe atlas metadata (glyph positions, UV coords)"
    required: false
    source_ref: "Core/Util/PPGeDraw.cpp:257-263"
    note: "Loaded after ppge_atlas.zim. Without it, dialog UI has no glyph layout. Batocera, Recalbox, Lakka, RetroPie, RetroBat, EmuDeck and RetroDECK install the assets folder where their core reads it."

  - name: "ppge_atlas.zim"
    mode: standalone
    path: "assets/ppge_atlas.zim"
    description: "PPGe dialog texture atlas for save/load dialogs, on-screen keyboard, system UI"
    required: false
    size: 666530
    sha1: "30a33f3651f8e1b0967a5dfe6ff714baebcce41a"
    bundled: true
    source_ref: "Core/Util/PPGeDraw.cpp:252-255"
    note: "Shipped in assets/ of the PPSSPP 1.20.4 Windows zip, which the standalone reads it from."

  - name: "ppge_atlas.meta"
    mode: standalone
    path: "assets/ppge_atlas.meta"
    description: "PPGe atlas metadata (glyph positions, UV coords)"
    required: false
    size: 50242
    sha1: "ab398f667d6fd778859307c105fe16388b8fdf63"
    bundled: true
    source_ref: "Core/Util/PPGeDraw.cpp:257-263"
    note: "Shipped in assets/ of the PPSSPP 1.20.4 Windows zip, beside ppge_atlas.zim."