The shadPS4 team has previewed significant performance enhancements for emulating Bloodborne in their upcoming emulator update. A new pull request boosts frame rates from 60-70 FPS to 86-87 FPS in early tests. This progress brings the classic soulslike closer to smooth PC playability.
Update Overview
The shadPS4 project, a PS4 emulator popular for running titles like Bloodborne on PC, shared exciting developments in a recent blog post. The team merged a pull request that dramatically improves performance, particularly for From Software's acclaimed 2015 action RPG Bloodborne. Previously, in version 0.12.0, gameplay fluctuated between 60-70 FPS, but the updated version 0.12.6 achieves a stable 86-87 FPS in demonstrated footage.
Performance Details
A short video highlights the gains, showing Bloodborne running at higher frame rates during exploration and combat. A longer gameplay clip reveals mostly consistent 60 FPS, with occasional dips to the 40s in demanding areas or boss fights. These improvements signal a step toward more reliable emulation, addressing long-standing requests from fans eager for enhanced ports or PC versions of the game, which remain unavailable officially.
Availability and Context
The update is not yet released but points toward version 0.13.0. ShadPS4 can be downloaded from GitHub or accessed via tools like EmuDeck and RetroDECK. The team emphasizes legal play, supporting emulation for preserved, owned games only. This tease underscores ongoing community efforts to preserve and optimize PS4-era titles like Bloodborne, known for its challenging combat and gothic atmosphere.