emulator: shadps4
type: standalone
source: "https://github.com/shadps4-emu/shadPS4"
upstream: "https://github.com/shadps4-emu/shadPS4"
profiled_date: "2026-03-26"
source_commit: "f73709cada28e77523e37806fee5c454711d24ba"
core_version: "pre-release 2026-08-08"
display_name: "shadPS4 (PlayStation 4)"
cores:
  - shadps4
  - "shadps4-gui"
systems:
  - ps4
mode: standalone
analysis_date: "2026-08-10"
analysis_commit: "891612c8"

notes: |
  shadPS4 is a standalone PlayStation 4 emulator. Most PS4 system libraries
  are reimplemented in HLE. For better game compatibility, real firmware
  modules (.sprx) can be loaded in LLE mode from the sys_modules/ directory.

  Modules are loaded by sysmodule_internal.cpp via loadModuleInternal().
  If a module exists in sys_modules/, it is loaded as LLE. If absent and
  an HLE implementation exists, the emulator falls back to HLE. If neither,
  the module is stubbed and games needing it may fail.

  Game-specific overrides are supported: sys_modules/{CUSA_ID}/ takes
  priority over the global sys_modules/ directory.

  System fonts are mounted from fonts/font/ (/preinst/common/font on real
  PS4) and fonts/font2/ (/system/common/font2 on real PS4). These are SST
  (Sony Standard Text) typeface files in OTF format. The emulator mounts
  the directories wholesale, and games load individual fonts by name. Without
  fonts, the emulator warns "No dumped system fonts, expect missing text
  or instability."

  All firmware files are extracted from a real PS4 via FTP:
  - .sprx modules from /system/common/lib/
  - font/ from /preinst/common/font/
  - font2/ from /system/common/font2/

  Batocera configgen (shadps4Generator.py) configures display, input, and
  saves but does not map BIOS/firmware paths. The emulator uses its own
  user directory for sys_modules/ and fonts/.

files:
  - name: "libSceLibcInternal.sprx"
    required: false
    hle_fallback: true
    path: "shadps4/sys_modules/libSceLibcInternal.sprx"
    description: "PS4 C standard library"
    source_ref: "src/core/linker.cpp:80-91"

  - name: "libSceNgs2.sprx"
    required: false
    hle_fallback: true
    path: "shadps4/sys_modules/libSceNgs2.sprx"
    description: "PS4 next-generation audio system"
    source_ref: "src/core/libraries/sysmodule/sysmodule_internal.cpp:217"

  - name: "libSceUlt.sprx"
    required: false
    path: "shadps4/sys_modules/libSceUlt.sprx"
    description: "PS4 user-level threading library"
    note: "No HLE implementation. The module is stubbed when absent."
    source_ref: "src/core/libraries/sysmodule/sysmodule_internal.cpp:218"

  - name: "libSceRtc.sprx"
    required: false
    hle_fallback: true
    path: "shadps4/sys_modules/libSceRtc.sprx"
    description: "PS4 real-time clock library"
    source_ref: "src/core/libraries/sysmodule/sysmodule_internal.cpp:221"

  - name: "libSceJpegDec.sprx"
    required: false
    path: "shadps4/sys_modules/libSceJpegDec.sprx"
    description: "PS4 JPEG decoder"
    note: "No HLE implementation. The module is stubbed when absent."
    source_ref: "src/core/libraries/sysmodule/sysmodule_internal.cpp:222"

  - name: "libSceJpegEnc.sprx"
    required: false
    hle_fallback: true
    path: "shadps4/sys_modules/libSceJpegEnc.sprx"
    description: "PS4 JPEG encoder"
    source_ref: "src/core/libraries/sysmodule/sysmodule_internal.cpp:223"

  - name: "libScePngEnc.sprx"
    required: false
    hle_fallback: true
    path: "shadps4/sys_modules/libScePngEnc.sprx"
    description: "PS4 PNG encoder"
    source_ref: "src/core/libraries/sysmodule/sysmodule_internal.cpp:225"

  - name: "libSceJson.sprx"
    required: false
    path: "shadps4/sys_modules/libSceJson.sprx"
    description: "PS4 JSON parser"
    note: "No HLE implementation. The module is stubbed when absent."
    source_ref: "src/core/libraries/sysmodule/sysmodule_internal.cpp:226"

  - name: "libSceJson2.sprx"
    required: false
    path: "shadps4/sys_modules/libSceJson2.sprx"
    description: "PS4 JSON v2 parser"
    note: "No HLE implementation. The module is stubbed when absent."
    source_ref: "src/core/libraries/sysmodule/sysmodule_internal.cpp:227"

  - name: "libSceCesCs.sprx"
    required: false
    path: "shadps4/sys_modules/libSceCesCs.sprx"
    description: "PS4 character encoding conversion"
    note: "No HLE implementation. The module is stubbed when absent."
    source_ref: "src/core/libraries/sysmodule/sysmodule_internal.cpp:228"

  - name: "libSceAt9Enc.sprx"
    required: false
    path: "shadps4/sys_modules/libSceAt9Enc.sprx"
    description: "PS4 ATRAC9 encoder"
    note: "No HLE implementation. The module is stubbed when absent."
    source_ref: "src/core/libraries/sysmodule/sysmodule_internal.cpp:229"

  - name: "libSceAudiodec.sprx"
    required: false
    path: "shadps4/sys_modules/libSceAudiodec.sprx"
    description: "PS4 audio decoder"
    note: "No HLE implementation. The module is stubbed when absent."
    source_ref: "src/core/libraries/sysmodule/sysmodule_internal.cpp:230"

  - name: "libSceAudiodecCpu.sprx"
    required: false
    path: "shadps4/sys_modules/libSceAudiodecCpu.sprx"
    description: "PS4 CPU audio decoder"
    note: "No HLE implementation. The module is stubbed when absent."
    source_ref: "src/core/libraries/sysmodule/sysmodule_internal.cpp:231"

  - name: "libSceAudiodecCpuDdp.sprx"
    required: false
    path: "shadps4/sys_modules/libSceAudiodecCpuDdp.sprx"
    description: "PS4 CPU Dolby Digital Plus decoder"
    note: "No HLE implementation. The module is stubbed when absent."
    source_ref: "src/core/libraries/sysmodule/sysmodule_internal.cpp:232"

  - name: "libSceAudiodecCpuM4aac.sprx"
    required: false
    path: "shadps4/sys_modules/libSceAudiodecCpuM4aac.sprx"
    description: "PS4 CPU AAC decoder"
    note: "No HLE implementation. The module is stubbed when absent."
    source_ref: "src/core/libraries/sysmodule/sysmodule_internal.cpp:233"

  - name: "libSceAudiodecCpuDtsHdLbr.sprx"
    required: false
    path: "shadps4/sys_modules/libSceAudiodecCpuDtsHdLbr.sprx"
    description: "PS4 CPU DTS-HD LBR decoder"
    note: "No HLE implementation. The module is stubbed when absent."
    source_ref: "src/core/libraries/sysmodule/sysmodule_internal.cpp:234"

  - name: "libSceAudiodecCpuHevag.sprx"
    required: false
    path: "shadps4/sys_modules/libSceAudiodecCpuHevag.sprx"
    description: "PS4 CPU HEVAG decoder"
    note: "No HLE implementation. The module is stubbed when absent."
    source_ref: "src/core/libraries/sysmodule/sysmodule_internal.cpp:235"

  - name: "libSceFont.sprx"
    required: false
    hle_fallback: true
    path: "shadps4/sys_modules/libSceFont.sprx"
    description: "PS4 font rendering library"
    source_ref: "src/core/libraries/sysmodule/sysmodule_internal.cpp:236"

  - name: "libSceFontFt.sprx"
    required: false
    hle_fallback: true
    path: "shadps4/sys_modules/libSceFontFt.sprx"
    description: "PS4 FreeType font library"
    source_ref: "src/core/libraries/sysmodule/sysmodule_internal.cpp:237"

  - name: "libSceFreeTypeOt.sprx"
    required: false
    path: "shadps4/sys_modules/libSceFreeTypeOt.sprx"
    description: "PS4 FreeType OpenType library"
    note: "No HLE implementation. The module is stubbed when absent."
    source_ref: "src/core/libraries/sysmodule/sysmodule_internal.cpp:238"

  - name: "libSceFreeTypeOl.sprx"
    required: false
    path: "shadps4/sys_modules/libSceFreeTypeOl.sprx"
    description: "PS4 FreeType outline library"
    note: "No HLE implementation. The module is stubbed when absent."
    source_ref: "src/core/libraries/sysmodule/sysmodule_internal.cpp:239"

  - name: "libSceFreeTypeOptOl.sprx"
    required: false
    path: "shadps4/sys_modules/libSceFreeTypeOptOl.sprx"
    description: "PS4 FreeType optimised outline library"
    note: "No HLE implementation. The module is stubbed when absent."
    source_ref: "src/core/libraries/sysmodule/sysmodule_internal.cpp:240"

  - name: "libSceRudp.sprx"
    required: false
    hle_fallback: true
    path: "shadps4/sys_modules/libSceRudp.sprx"
    description: "PS4 reliable UDP library"
    source_ref: "src/core/libraries/sysmodule/sysmodule_internal.cpp:243"

  - name: "libSceWkFontConfig.sprx"
    required: false
    path: "shadps4/sys_modules/libSceWkFontConfig.sprx"
    description: "PS4 WebKit font configuration"
    note: "No HLE implementation. The module is stubbed when absent."
    source_ref: "src/core/libraries/sysmodule/sysmodule_internal.cpp:244"

  - name: "libSceSystemGesture.sprx"
    required: false
    hle_fallback: true
    path: "shadps4/sys_modules/libSceSystemGesture.sprx"
    description: "PS4 system gesture recognition"
    source_ref: "src/core/libraries/sysmodule/sysmodule_internal.cpp:249"

  - name: "libSceXml.sprx"
    required: false
    path: "shadps4/sys_modules/libSceXml.sprx"
    description: "PS4 XML parser"
    note: "No HLE implementation. The module is stubbed when absent."
    source_ref: "src/core/libraries/sysmodule/sysmodule_internal.cpp:250"