PS2 Emulation
PS2 games emulation on PS5 is officially done by two methods: PS2emu executable compiled with PS5 SDK or PS2emu executable compiled with PS4 SDK and emulated through the PS4 emulator of the PS5. According to the PS Store, when you buy such a PS2onPS5 game, you can also play it on PS4, but the PKG file downloaded and installed on the console is very different. There is a PS2emu for PS4 in the PS4 PKG and a PS2emu for PS5 in the PS5 one. Notably, the PKG size differs and the Title ID too (CUSA prefix for PS4 versus PPSA for PS5). The game patch updates are similar but the version numbering is displayed differently: XX.YY on PS4 and XX.000.0YY on PS5.
PS4 SDK PS2 emulator[edit | edit source]
Since November 2015, some PS2 games are distributed on PS4 with a PS2 emulator contained in the PS4 PKG file of each game. On PS5, such a PS2 game can run through PS4 Emulation. Since PS5 System Software version ?2.00?, PS4 games can run on PS5 either by inserting its Bluray disc or by buying it on the PS Store.
See PS2 emulator on PS4.
PS5 SDK PS2 emulator[edit | edit source]
Since May 2024, some PS2 games are distributed on PS5 with a more direct emulator not relying on PS4 emulation anymore. Their Content IDs contain a PS5 Title ID prefix (PPSA) instead of a PS4 one (CUSA). Notably, this PS2 emulator allows game savestates contrarily to the PS2onPS4 emulator.
See a video describing the PS5 version of the PS2 Classic Tomb Raider.