SharpEmu, a PS5 emulator built entirely from scratch, has advanced from an early alpha stage in May 2026 to a state where it can load real game executables, execute native CPU instructions, and partially handle GPU functionality. Developer CursedIfElse said on social media that the project prioritised hardware accuracy from the beginning and that the investment is starting to pay off.
According to the project's latest compatibility list, ten games have reached a "playable" state. Six of these are described as fully playable at 60 frames per second, including 2D titles like 'Tetris Forever' and 3D titles such as 'Astro Bot' and the PS5 remaster of 'Demon's Souls'. Gameplay footage shared online shows these titles running at smooth frame rates.
The progress is timely, as Sony recently announced it is scaling back its efforts to bring single-player PlayStation exclusives to PC. Previously, PC gamers could access these games only through publisher-backed ports. SharpEmu offers a potential alternative, though it remains in early development and does not yet support every game.
SharpEmu's progress has been shared publicly through regular updates and a maintained compatibility list. The project is open about its hardware-accuracy approach, which has enabled this sudden leap in playability.