libretro / libretro/RetroArch

[Feature Request] ARMSX2 core

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#18,471 4 comments 2 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub

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feature request
Dominant language
C
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Description

LRPS2 is a libretro core that is a heavily customized fork of PCSX2, serving as the only PlayStation 2 libretro core. However, it is not available for RetroArch on Android via the usual Main Menu → Online Updater → Core Downloader path, so Android users currently lack a PS2 libretro core option. There are no official PCSX2 releases for Android, which explains why LRPS2 only targets desktop RetroArch releases. Meanwhile, ARMSX2, another fork of PCSX2 designed specifically for ARM devices, is an intriguing candidate for Android-based PS2 emulation.

It should be noted that ARMSX2 currently is unstable, encountering crashes and freezes on certain devices as reported in issue discussions and user testing (see https://github.com/ARMSX2/ARMSX2/issues/40). However, the development team is actively working on fixes and improvements, with plans to address GPU compatibility and update the underlying PCSX2 core. Given the ongoing development and roadmap, it's expected that these stability issues will be resolved over time, making the emulator more reliable for PS2 gaming on Android devices soon.

Please add the "core requests - not retroarch bugs" label to this issue.

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start with RetroArch’s Main Menu → Online Updater → Core Downloader path and review ARMSX2 issue 40 for the reported Android stability concerns. Done means ARMSX2 is available as an Android RetroArch core option, with compatibility and integration requirements resolved.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
android
Domain
game-dev, mobile
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Needs clarification
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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