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A GitHub project has made God of War: Chains of Olympus playable in a browser by recompiling its PSP code into C++ and WebAssembly, rather than running it in an emulator. The developer also reports that Ghost of Sparta runs through the same approach. The project does not include game data; users supply their own disc image, and the reported performance has not been independently verified.
A GitHub project demonstrates God of War: Chains of Olympus running in a web browser after its PSP machine code was translated into C++ and compiled to WebAssembly, rather than played through a conventional emulator. The developer says the game runs from boot through menus, cutscenes and combat, and reports a second title, God of War: Ghost of Sparta, working through the same system; users must supply their own game data.
The project, psp-web-recomp, describes a pipeline that analyzes a decrypted PSP executable, translates its MIPS instructions ahead of time into C++, and compiles the result for the browser. The generated game code runs against a model of the PSP’s registers and memory, with a small software layer answering requests for operating-system services such as threads, files, controllers, audio and save data. Graphics are handled through a reimplementation of the PSP graphics chip that draws using WebGL2.
According to the developer, Chains of Olympus runs at 60 frames per second in the scenes measured in Chrome and Firefox on a laptop, with rendering at up to four times the PSP’s native 480-by-272 resolution. The report also says it works on phones with on-screen touch controls. Music, speech and sound effects are supported, but movies are currently skipped. These are the project’s reported results; the supplied material does not include independent testing or a full device-by-device performance breakdown.
The developer says Ghost of Sparta was brought up with the same scripts and recompiler, running at 55 to 60 frames per second at three times native resolution. That work required support for a DRM-protected file, several system calls and a lighting fix, according to the project. The repository does not provide game files: its scripts turn a disc image supplied by the user into a web page on that user’s machine, and disc data is streamed as needed.
Browser Play Without a PSP Emulator
The project is a technical demonstration of an alternative to interpreting PSP instructions as a game runs. Its ahead-of-time recompilation converts executable code before play, while browser APIs and custom PSP-system components provide the services the game expects. That approach can make a demanding game run at a reported speed suitable for play in a browser, though the result depends on the project’s implementation and the user’s hardware.
For readers, the distinction does not mean the games have become freely available online. The repository supplies tools and implementation code, not copyrighted game data. Users need a compatible image they are entitled to use, and must prepare it locally. The work may interest preservation and emulation developers because it documents how PSP graphics, sound, timing and system calls can be reproduced in a browser environment.
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How the PSP Code Reaches WebGL
The PSP’s processor uses MIPS instructions, while the browser runs WebAssembly. In this project, PSPRecomp identifies executable functions and emits C++ in units based on 16 KiB of guest code; the web-specific profile and patches connect that output to browser-side implementations. This differs from a general-purpose emulator that repeatedly interprets or recompiles instructions during gameplay, although the project still recreates selected PSP hardware and operating-system behavior.
Graphics are among the more involved parts. The PSP’s graphics engine supplies display lists; the project decodes them and sends batches of geometry and render state to WebGL. Its implementation accounts for features such as lighting, texture handling, framebuffers and the PSP’s use of the framebuffer alpha channel for stencil effects. The report says work was also needed to manage synchronization between game and graphics threads and to avoid browser-specific performance problems.
“PSP games running in the browser without an emulator.”
— The psp-web-recomp GitHub project
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Performance and Compatibility Limits
The report gives performance figures for particular scenes and setups, but does not identify the laptop’s specifications, browser versions or a standardized test method. The stated frame rates should be treated as developer-reported measurements, not as a guarantee for other computers or phones. The supplied source also does not establish how broadly the project works across PSP games beyond the two God of War titles discussed.
It remains unclear whether the project will support additional games, how much preparation different disc images require, or whether the current approach will be maintained as browsers change. Movie playback is not supported in the reported build, and some titles may depend on system features that the current implementation does not reproduce. The material does not provide independent verification of the DRM handling or legal guidance for making or using disc images.
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Further Games and Browser Testing
The repository’s scripts give developers a route to try other PSP titles, but the report does not announce a release schedule or promise compatibility beyond the examples described. The next meaningful tests are whether additional games can be converted without title-specific fixes and whether performance holds across a wider range of browsers and devices. Readers interested in trying it should consult the project’s current instructions and supply their own game data.
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Key Questions
Which God of War games are demonstrated?
The project reports browser builds of God of War: Chains of Olympus and God of War: Ghost of Sparta, both originally released for PSP.
Does the project include the games?
No. The repository says no game data is included. Users supply a disc image and use the project scripts to generate a browser page locally.
Is this a PSP emulator?
The project describes its method as ahead-of-time recompilation: it translates the game’s MIPS code into C++ and WebAssembly. It still recreates parts of the PSP’s operating system and graphics behavior, so browser play relies on a custom hardware and system layer.
How well does it run?
The developer reports 60 frames per second in measured Chains of Olympus scenes in Chrome and Firefox on a laptop, and 55 to 60 frames per second for Ghost of Sparta at three times native resolution. Those figures are project-reported results, not independent benchmarks; movies are skipped in the described build.
Can it run on a phone?
The report says the project works on phones with on-screen touch controls, but it does not provide a device list or performance results for particular phone models.
Source: hn
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