PS3 Emulator for Android Sparks Frenzy and Vanishes Without a Trace

A controversial event unfolded in the world of mobile emulation: the first working PlayStation 3 emulator for Android emerged for a few days and then vanished without a trace. The project, named aPS3e, was developed by a mysterious Chinese enthusiast known as Aenu. It caused a sensation but its rapid disappearance left more questions than answers.

Initially, aPS3e seemed groundbreaking: unlike workarounds using Winlator or Linux containers, it was a native app requiring Android 7 and Vulkan support. Tests on flagship devices like the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra showed that games such as Rayman Origins and 3D Dot Game Heroes ran at acceptable speeds, although controls were rudimentary— even the L3/R3 buttons were manually drawn on the screen.

However, it soon became clear that parts of the emulator’s code were borrowed from the open-source project RPCS3. The developer not only withheld the source code but also demanded $2 000 for its release. Aenu, who described himself as an “unemployed man from rural China who missed nine years of school,” was met with skepticism from the start. His GitHub account and the emulator's repository are now inaccessible, and attempts to contact him have failed. The community speculates that his disappearance is either due to pressure from copyright holders or conflicts with RPCS3's developers.

Interestingly, even in its rough state, aPS3e proved that PS3 emulation on Android is possible. For example, Reddit users managed to run Limbo and Terraria, while some enthusiasts experimented with exclusives like Metal Gear Solid 4. However, installing games in PKG format required manual moving of .rap files, and many titles, including Killzone 2, didn’t launch at all.

Despite ethical concerns, aPS3e acted as a catalyst for the community. Jarrod Norwell, a well-known developer, announced a new project called RPCS3droid, inspired by this experiment. Yet, comparisons to controversial emulators like DamonPS2 raise ethical questions: is it right to support projects with closed-source code? While the answer remains unclear, one thing is certain— the race for mobile PS3 emulation has only just begun. In a few years, running Resistance on a smartphone might become routine, but for now, aPS3e remains a ghostly harbinger of change.