App Store emulator surge continues, this time for PlayStation Portable games

PPSSPP on the App Store

Apple has officially welcomed PPSSPP, a popular PSP emulator (and not the sound to summon a cat), to the App Store. It's a significant development in the company's approach toward emulators.

Users can download PPSSPP directly from the App Store. The app promises to deliver a high-fidelity gaming experience on iOS devices, supporting a wide range of PSP titles.

The system requirements for running PPSSPP on an iPhone include iOS 12.0 or later. The app is also compatible with iPad, iPod touch, and Apple Vision Pro so that gamers can play their favorite PSP games on various Apple devices.

The app's developer has a support page on how to get games for PPSSPP. PSP games downloaded from PSN onto an actual PSP can be transferred from the PSP and played directly.

There is also a small selection of free games offered in the app.

A change of heart

One longstanding policy of the App Store has been prohibiting apps that run external code, which has effectively banned emulators for console and classic games. However, a change in April to guideline 4.7 of the App Store has now modified this policy.

Apple is now permitting "software that is not embedded in the binary" to run within apps available in the App Store. The company has specified that this includes "retro game console emulator apps."

Developers must ensure that any software loaded into an app adheres to several guidelines and complies with all applicable laws, including add-ons and ROMs.