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Short answer: Sony says PS5 consoles do not play original PS3 games or PS3 discs. Separately, an unofficial experimental RPCS3 build has reportedly run selected PS3 games on one jailbroken PS5 Pro. That demonstration shows PS5 hardware can run at least some PS3 software in a carefully configured homebrew setup; it does not make PS3 compatibility a feature of retail PS5 consoles or show that the whole PS3 library works.
What the PS5 RPCS3 demonstration actually shows
The project maintainer’s rpcs3-PS5 repository describes an experimental, unofficial way to run RPCS3 as a native homebrew title on a jailbroken PS5. The documented tests were performed on one PS5 Pro running firmware 13.60, with the Relapse jailbreak, etaHEN, ftpsrv, and ShadowMount+. These results concern that particular setup—not an ordinary retail PS5, a supported Sony feature, or a release maintained by the main RPCS3 team.
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The repository reports two named game tests, with very different outcomes:
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|---|---|---|
| Need for Speed Carbon (BLUS30016) | Described as fully playable at 60 fps by the project maintainer. This is a project-reported result for the documented setup, not an independent measurement. | One title reportedly runs well in this configuration. |
| inFAMOUS (BCUS98119) | Described as playable, but with stuttering and performance below full speed in heavier areas. | Playability can vary even within the small set of reported tests. |
The maintainer cautions that few games have been tested and most remain untested. There is no verified PS3-library-wide compatibility percentage or controlled benchmark in the available evidence. RPCS3 itself directs users to its FAQ and compatibility information because support differs by title; the PS5 experiment’s results should not be generalized to the catalog.
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How the homebrew build is integrated
The project README says the build renders through Vulkan using the PS5_Vulkan RADV port, routes audio through SceAudioOut, accepts controller input through ScePad, and presents RPCS3’s Big Picture Mode interface. That describes a native homebrew integration, not a Sony-designed PS3 compatibility layer. The repository also says users must provide their own PS3 firmware and game dumps; it does not turn PS3 discs into a supported plug-and-play option.
Can you play a PS3 disc on a PS5?
No—not as a supported retail-console feature. Sony’s current backward-compatibility support page says PS5 consoles do not support PS3 discs. The homebrew project instead describes a jailbroken-console setup that uses firmware and game files. It is not evidence that inserting a PS3 disc into a standard PS5 will work.
What Sony says about PS3 compatibility
In its PS5: The Ultimate FAQ, published November 9, 2020, Sony asked, “Can I play original PlayStation, PS2, or PS3 games on PS5?” Its answer was: “No, PS5 will play PS5 games and more than 99% of PS4 games, including PlayStation VR games, only.” That is Sony’s launch-era statement; the separate current support-page statement specifically addresses PS3 discs. Sony’s FAQ also cited compatibility with more than 99% of 4,000+ PS4 games, a dated PS4 figure—not a measure of PS3 compatibility.
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Does the port prove PS5 hardware was never the only problem?
In a narrow sense, the demonstration challenges the claim that PS5 hardware is categorically unable to execute any PS3 code: the project reports selected PS3 games running on a PS5 Pro. But one experimental build, two named results, and one test console cannot establish broad compatibility, dependable performance, or readiness for a commercial service.
Nor does the demonstration reveal why Sony has not made PS3 compatibility a standard PS5 feature. The cited sources do not establish Sony’s engineering, licensing, support-cost, or business rationale. The defensible conclusion is that software work is part of the compatibility challenge—not that software was the sole or primary reason Sony omitted the feature.
Official support versus the experimental port
| Question | Sony-supported PS5 experience | RPCS3 homebrew experiment |
|---|---|---|
| Is it an official PS5 feature? | No. Sony’s published guidance excludes original PS3 games, and its current support page says PS3 discs are unsupported. | No. The project identifies itself as experimental and unofficial, and says it is not supported by the RPCS3 team. |
| What setup is documented? | Standard PS5 use; PS3 discs are not supported. | One jailbroken PS5 Pro on firmware 13.60 with the listed jailbreak and homebrew components. |
| How much game compatibility is established? | No PS3 compatibility is promised by the cited guidance. | Two named game outcomes; most games remain untested, according to the repository. |
| Can you expect PS3 discs to work? | No, according to PlayStation Support. | The described setup uses supplied firmware and game dumps; the repository does not establish disc support. |
If you want to play PS3 games on a PS5, the practical distinction is decisive: Sony does not support original PS3 games or discs on the retail console, while the modder project is a narrow, unofficial experiment requiring a jailbreak and specific setup. Its results are evidence of limited feasibility, not a general-purpose compatibility solution.
