RPCS3, the PlayStation 3 emulator that has steadily become one of the most impressive preservation projects in emulation, has received a new cosmetic addition alongside a long-awaited update on one of its most-requested features.
Community member FlexBy has created a new UI stylesheet for RPCS3 that recreates the look of an older version of Steam, complete with Valve's classic dull green colour scheme, compact menus, and a more text-heavy layout. Since RPCS3 already supports custom Qt stylesheets, the theme doesn't require a separate build or any modifications to install. Users can find it under Config > GUI> UI Stylesheets, where it's listed as "Old Steam by FlexBy."
Alongside the new theme, RPCS3's developers also shared an update on a feature fans have wanted for years: launching games directly from the PlayStation 3's XMB interface. RPCS3 can already boot the XMB menu, navigate it, and even apply custom XMB themes, but starting a game from within it still isn't possible.
According to the team, that requires multi-process support, something they describe as "a huge core rework" that is currently underway, with no release date yet. "Not yet, we are working on it, it requires multiprocess support which is a huge core rework that is on-going," the RPCS3 team wrote in response to a fan asking about the feature.
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The Steam-inspired theme is a much smaller change by comparison, but it is already available to try today. This is just the latest in a steady stream of updates for RPCS3 this year. The emulator recently added support for running compatible PS3 games directly from physical Blu-ray discs, letting players use original game media on Windows, Linux, macOS, and FreeBSD without needing a PS3 console. That came not long after RPCS3 reached 75% playable compatibility across its tracked library of PS3 games.
