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A project featured in a Show HN post says it can run PlayStation 2 games in a browser by translating game code into WebAssembly and recreating parts of the console’s system in software. Its developers report that Gran Turismo 4 and God of War II run in Chrome, but users must supply their own disc images, and the report does not provide independent testing.
A project posted to Hacker News’ Show HN forum says it can run PlayStation 2 games in a browser by translating their executable code ahead of time into C++, compiling that output to WebAssembly, and recreating the console’s operating system and hardware functions in software. Its GitHub report names Gran Turismo 4 and God of War II as playable examples in Chrome; users supply their own game disc images, which the project does not include.
The project’s repository describes a tool called eerecomp, which analyzes a game executable, follows its control flow and emits C++ in units of 16 KiB of PlayStation 2 guest code. The generated code is designed to preserve details of the console’s Emotion Engine processor, including its 128-bit registers, branch delay slots and unusual floating-point behavior. The output is then compiled to WebAssembly and run alongside software implementations of system functions.
The developers say Gran Turismo 4 runs from boot through its opening movie, menus and races, with music, sound effects and memory-card saves stored in the browser, similar to another PlayStation game recompiled to WebAssembly. For the PAL version, they report a race running at 50 frames per second in Chrome on a laptop’s integrated GPU, at twice the PS2’s native resolution. They describe God of War II as running from menus through cutscenes and combat, at 60 frames per second in heavy combat at native resolution. At twice native resolution, they report 48 to 60 frames per second, depending on GPU limits.
Those results are claims in the project’s own report, not independently verified measurements. The repository says it includes no game data: users provide a disc image of a game they own, and scripts on their own machine turn it into a web page. The report does not establish how broadly the approach works across the PS2 library or whether every game can be made playable without additional work.
A Different Route to Browser Play
The project is notable because it takes a different technical route from conventional emulation. Rather than interpreting every instruction while a game runs, it translates the game executable ahead of time, then combines that output with software implementations of console components. That approach can reduce runtime work, while leaving the project responsible for accurately reproducing the hardware behavior games depend on.
Its reported results also show why simply translating the main processor is not enough. PlayStation 2 games rely on specialized vector units, graphics hardware, sound, video decoding and input/output components. The developers say the project models these areas, with WebGPU compute shaders handling graphics and WebAssembly modules compiling vector-unit programs. If the method proves practical beyond the named examples, it could offer another way to make older console software accessible through browsers. The report does not yet show how easy it is for other developers to add games or how extensive compatibility is.
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How the PS2 Components Are Recreated
The project says the console’s main processor is only one part of its approach. It reimplements functions of the PS2 operating system, including threads, semaphores and interrupt handling. On the separate I/O processor, it runs game-supplied modules using an interpreter for that processor’s CPU, while reimplementing the kernel and supporting libraries. Disc data is read using HTTP Range requests, so the repository says only the executable needs to be downloaded at the outset.
For graphics, the project keeps the Graphics Synthesizer’s 4 MB of video memory in its native layouts and uses WebGPU compute shaders to render effects such as textures, palettes, blending and depth tests. The report says a software rasterizer remains available as a reference. Sound is handled through a software version of the PS2’s SPU2 audio hardware, while an implementation of the console’s MPEG-2 decoder handles movies. The developers also describe a worker-based design that separates game execution, vector-unit work and graphics commands.
The report details substantial performance work. The first race, according to the developers, ran at 3 frames per second at native resolution using a software rasterizer and an interpreter for vector-unit code. Replacing those components with WebGPU rendering and compiled vector programs raised the reported rate to about 70 frames per second natively. Later changes reduced graphics dispatches and data transfers. The repository says the final performance depends on resolution and the computer’s GPU.
“No game data is included here. You bring a disc image of a game you own.”
— The project’s GitHub repository
Compatibility and Test Conditions
The performance figures come from the repository and are not accompanied in the supplied report by independent benchmarks. Results may vary with browser, computer hardware, game version and settings. The report specifies Chrome on a laptop with an integrated GPU for the Gran Turismo 4 recording, but does not give the laptop model or a full set of test conditions.
It is also unclear how many other PS2 games work, how much effort each title may require, or whether the project has limitations beyond the two examples. The developers say God of War II exposed bugs in the recompiler and vector-unit timing, as well as missing pieces of the I/O processor, which were addressed for that game. That account suggests compatibility depends on the accuracy and completeness of the implementations; it does not establish support for the console’s full library. The repository also requires users to provide disc images, and the report does not discuss legal questions around making or using those images.
Project Testing and Wider Support
The immediate next step for readers and developers is to consult the GitHub repository for the scripts, setup requirements and any updates to supported titles. The source material includes a 1-minute, 24-second recording and describes God of War II as having been brought up after Gran Turismo 4, but it does not announce a release schedule or a formal compatibility list.
Further evidence would help establish how the project performs on different hardware, which games run without game-specific changes, and what steps users need to prepare their own disc images. Until those details are available, the reported demonstrations show a technical milestone for two titles, rather than proof of broad PS2 compatibility. The project’s future progress and any independent testing remain open.
Key Questions
How does the project run PS2 games in a browser?
It translates a game’s executable into C++ ahead of time, compiles that code to WebAssembly, and supplies software implementations of PS2 system and hardware functions. It uses WebGPU for graphics rendering.
Which games does the report say are playable?
The repository reports browser runs of Gran Turismo 4 and God of War II. It does not establish compatibility with the broader PS2 library.
Does the project include the games?
No. The repository says no game data is included. Users provide their own disc images and run the project’s scripts on their machines.
Are the reported frame rates independently verified?
Not in the supplied source material. The figures are reported by the project developers, and performance may vary with hardware, browser and resolution.
Does it require Chrome or a particular computer?
The performance examples specify Chrome on a laptop with an integrated GPU. The report does not set out a complete list of supported browsers or minimum hardware requirements.
Source: hn
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