Credit: Adamya Sharma / Android Authority TL;DR
  • A new open-source tool called Hydroid lets jailbroken PS5 consoles run 64-bit Android games directly without booting Linux or a virtual machine.
  • Front ends like Playden and PC5 bring Steam access and offline PC games to the console, while the experimental EglantinePS5 emulator brings experimental Nintendo Switch 2 games.
  • These homebrew tools require a jailbroken PS5 running older system firmware (v13.60 and below), which Sony has patched for online play.

The PlayStation 5 homebrew scene has steadily transformed Sony’s flagship console into an absurdly flexible gaming rig beyond anyone’s imagination, managing everything from PS2, PS3, Wii U, NDS, 3DS, to even Windows 7 and Nintendo Switch emulation. Now, the boundaries are being pushed even further: developers have unlocked native Android game execution on the console, alongside an experimental Nintendo Switch 2 emulator port and polished launchers that run your PC and Steam games.

Hydroid brings native Android games to your PS5

The standout development on the mobile front is a new open-source project called Hydroid. Created by developer ZiZc3, Hydroid lets you run 64-bit Android games directly on a jailbroken PS5 without setting up a resource-heavy Linux dual-boot environment. Instead of booting an entire virtual machine, it runs a game’s compiled ARM64 code using a dynamic recompiler (dynarmic) and translates Android subsystem calls for graphics, audio, DualSense controller input, and storage.