RPCS3 added the ability to run PS3 games directly from a disc drive just a few weeks ago, and the timing may have been perfect for scammers. As soon as a significant number of people started shopping for compatible Blu-ray drives, counterfeit versions started showing up on Newegg and AliExpress.
The RPCS3 development team issued a warning in late September, flagging an unusually high influx of fake Blu-ray drives appearing across both platforms. The counterfeits reportedly work by putting an older, incompatible optical mechanism inside the shell and packaging of a higher-end model, then using spoofed firmware to make the drive report itself as the more capable unit. The drive shows up with the right name in Windows. The packaging looks correct. It just cannot do the one thing you bought it for: read a PS3 disc.
PS3 discs are picky about what reads them. RPCS3 requires specific drive models built around the MediaTek MT1959 chipset, and the exact model revision matters. The RPCS3 website has a compatibility list, and the quickest practical test is to put a PS3 disc in the drive and see whether its files appear. If they do, the drive works. If they don't, it doesn't matter what the box said.
Spotting a fake before you buy is harder. Telltale signs can include misspelled text on the drive label, misaligned logos, incorrect manufacturing dates, and covered PCB markings. However, none of these are easy to check in a product listing photo.
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Which Blu-ray drive models and hardware revisions are confirmed compatible with RPCS3's PS3 disc support?
How can buyers verify a drive's actual MediaTek MT1959 chipset when its firmware reports a spoofed model?
Does RPCS3's direct-disc support work with external USB Blu-ray drives?
Does RPCS3 require any drive firmware or software settings beyond using a compatible model?
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The RPCS3 team recommends buying only from retailers with genuine buyer protection programs so you can return a fake if it arrives. The wiki linked by the team specifically warns against buying from Newegg and AliExpress marketplace listings, where the current wave of counterfeits is concentrated.
