The best PS4 emulator just got its biggest update yet

It’s still relatively early days for PlayStation 4 emulation, but ShadPS4 is far and away the best emulator in this regard. The team isn’t taking it easy, though, as it’s just released what it calls the biggest ShadPS4 update yet.

ShadPS4 version 0.16.0 has just been announced on the project’s GitHub page and Discord group, bringing a dizzying variety of additions and improvements. Perhaps the most notable addition is local multiplayer support, allowing two or more players in the same room to play together (or against each other) in supported titles.

ShadPS4 has also gained a Big Picture Mode, allowing you to easily navigate the emulator with a controller from your couch. Other major features added to this release include screenshot functionality, initial support for cameras, initial support for OpenAL audio, and a new configuration/settings system.

The emulator has also received a host of improvements related to performance and stability. This includes extensive Vulkan-related tweaks, memory and synchronization work, texture-related changes, and better support for games using PS4 Pro features.

In fact, the ShadPS4 team says that these and numerous core tweaks bring good news:

Many games that previously crashed, hung, or exhibited incorrect behavior now progress further or operate correctly.

Other notable changes include a variety of trophy-related improvements, the addition of a notification system, and major work on networking/online functionality.

The ShadPS4 compatibility list shows that six new games are now playable as a result of this update. They include Final Fantasy 1, Final Fantasy 2, Inside, and Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy. There are now 111 playable games on the Windows version of the emulator, with 144 titles on the Linux version.