Bloodborne sees a massive performance boost thanks to PS4 emulator update, with hunters’ dreams becoming more accessible on Steam Deck

In the ongoing struggle to play Bloodborne on PC, PlayStation 4 emulator ShadPS4 is cleaving a path in the right direction as its most recent update (version 0.12.6) significantly boosts its performance and is more accessible for those with weaker hardware. Granted, setting up the emulation in the first place is not a simple task and requires some brain-busting tinkering, but it’s becoming more and more worthwhile since this time last year, when Bloodborne was first playable, though with caveats and crashes galore. There are also comprehensive guides available to steer you through the process of setting up the emulator and patching the game.

A new video from tabeneru showcases a side-by-side comparison between the previous and current version of ShadPS4 on a PC equipped with Intel Core i5-13500 CPU and RTX 3060 Ti GPU at 1440p with the framerate unlocked. Bloodborne’s performance is far more stable now, more than doubling its average fps in some instances—far and away from sub double-figure lows.

Deck Wizard also ran a test on the Steam Deck OLED in handheld and docked mode. While performance fluctuates more in handheld, it’s hugging 60 fps much more frequently with lows averaging around 40 fps during major encounters. Docked, the Steam Deck runs Bloodborne well at a locked 30 fps—this may not be an improvement on the max framerate of its original PS4 release, but it is at least playable on the handheld in both modes. And Bloodborne’s notoriously inconsistent frame pacing may mean the Deck is now the smoother experience, even at 30 fps.

While emulating Bloodborne’s not yet a perfect solution and other mods are still required to help maintain stability—such as the Vertex Explosion Fix used by tabeneru—there’s no official remaster freeing Bloodborne of its aging software shackles in sight. So we can only hope that PS4 emulation becomes even more accessible, like those of previous console generations, helping us preserve and continue to enjoy games of the past. And, y’know, play one of the best games of all time.