The developers of the open-source RPCS3 emulator have introduced a new feature allowing users to play PlayStation 3 games directly from physical discs. This functionality eliminates the need to rely on servers or transfer game files to local storage before playing.
The update supports Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, and macOS. Users can also benefit from optimized installation times when installing packages directly from a disc drive. Additionally, the feature is compatible with PS4 and PS5 consoles running Linux.
The project team credited contributors digant73 and Megamouse for implementing these improvements. To verify if a specific Blu-ray drive is compatible, users can attempt to browse the disc files through their operating system; if the files are visible, the drive is supported.
This development provides a way to test games without occupying space on SSDs or hard drives. It also allows users to quickly audit collections of physical media to determine which titles they wish to keep or install permanently.