[!IMPORTANT]
This is the Bachata S4 release repository. It hosts releases, compatibility
information, documentation, and community coordination; it is not the maintained
emulator core source repository.
The maintained emulator core fork has moved to
zenithblue-oss/shadps4-arm64.
Core source development and contributions belong in that repository.
[!IMPORTANT]
Bachata S4 is experimental software.
Compatibility and performance can vary significantly by game, emulator release, device,
Android version, thermal state, and selected graphics driver. A game reaching gameplay
on one configuration does not guarantee that it will work on another.
Bachata S4 does not distribute games, firmware, decryption keys, licenses, or other
copyrighted console files. You must provide and use only software and content that you
legally own or are otherwise legally entitled to use.
What is Bachata S4?
Bachata S4 adapts the shadPS4 emulator
for modern ARM64 Android devices. It combines:
- the shadPS4 emulator core;
- FEX-based x86-64 guest execution on ARM64 hardware;
- a reproducibly built, managed Debian/glibc runtime;
- Android display, audio, input, and lifecycle integration;
- Vulkan rendering through a compatible system driver, Mesa Turnip, or another
explicitly selected custom driver;
- a mobile game library, per-game settings, touch controls, and physical-controller
support.
The Android frontend is located in android/BachataS4.
Runtime inputs and pinned upstream revisions are maintained under
runtime/locks.
🎮 Game compatibility
Compatibility is evidence-based and specific to the exact emulator release, device, GPU,
Android version, guest backend, and graphics driver used by the tester.
The live source of truth is the
Bachata S4 compatibility website.
Structured report data, screenshots, and compressed logs are maintained separately in
JICA98/Bachata-S4-Compatibility.
Current snapshot: 9 tested games — 6 In-game · 1 Menus · 2 Boots
| Screenshot | Game | Serial | Status | Latest recorded result | Compatibility / discussion |
|---|
| Bloodborne | CUSA00900 | 🟢 In-game | Reaches controllable gameplay in Hunter's Dream. Recorded Turnip test averaged 21.03 FPS, with 17–30 FPS observed during gameplay. | Live report · Issue #100 |
| Dark Souls: Remastered | CUSA08692 | 🟢 In-game | Reaches controllable gameplay in Undead Asylum at roughly 24–30 FPS on the recorded Turnip configuration. | Live report · Issue #101 |
| Sonic Mania | CUSA07023 | 🟢 In-game | Reaches Green Hill Zone Act 1 at ~60 FPS in the recorded Vortek test. | Live report · Issue #102 |
| Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice | CUSA13801 | 🟢 In-game | Reaches controllable gameplay in the opening Ashina Reservoir area; recorded gameplay runs roughly 19–30 FPS with heavier dips. | Live report · Issue #103 |
| Dragon's Crown Pro | CUSA10454 |
[!NOTE]
In-game does not mean fully playable. It means controllable gameplay was reached in
at least one recorded configuration. Completion, long-session stability, correct
rendering, audio, input, and performance may still have major problems. FPS values above
describe specific recorded tests and are not performance guarantees for other devices.
Click any thumbnail or Live report link to open the underlying compatibility page.
| Status | Confirmed titles |
|---|
playable | 0 |
ingame | 6 |
menus | 1 |
boots | 2 |
nothing | 0 |
Status meanings
| Status | Meaning |
|---|
| Playable | Suitable for normal play in the tested configuration, with no major blocker found. |
| In-game | Reaches controllable gameplay, but completion and full stability are not verified. |
| Menus | Reaches menus or title screens but not controllable gameplay. |
| Boots | Starts and produces meaningful output before an early blocker. |
| Nothing | Crashes, hangs, or fails to produce useful output in the tested configuration. |
How the Android runtime works
flowchart LR
A["User-owned PS4 homebrew or legal dump"] --> B["Bachata S4 Android frontend"]
B --> C["shadPS4 emulator core"]
C --> D["FEX x86-64 → ARM64 guest execution"]
C --> E["Managed Debian / glibc runtime"]
C --> F["Vulkan rendering"]
F --> G["Android system Vulkan driver"]
F --> H["Selected Mesa Turnip or custom driver"]
F --> K["Vortek transport over the system Vulkan driver"]
B --> I["Touch controls / physical controller"]
B --> J["Android display, audio and lifecycle integration"]
Every compatibility report records the active backend and driver. Performance from one
phone or driver must not be generalized to every Android device.
Features
- PS4 emulation frontend designed for ARM64 Android
- shadPS4 core integrated with an Android-focused runtime
- FEX guest execution for x86-64 workloads
- Vulkan rendering through system, Turnip, or selected custom drivers
- Vortek-based Vulkan integration paths
- Game library with cover artwork and metadata
- Per-game settings and graphics-driver selection
- Configurable touch controls
- Physical-controller mapping
- Session logs and diagnostic export
- Release-, device-, and driver-specific compatibility reports
- Screenshot- and log-backed public testing workflow
- Google Play and source-built distribution paths
- Open-source code under GPL-2.0-or-later
Requirements
| Item | Requirement |
|---|
| Operating system | Android 12 or newer — API 31+ |
| CPU architecture | arm64-v8a |
| Graphics | Vulkan-capable GPU and compatible driver |
| Recommended hardware | Recent high-end Snapdragon/Adreno device |
| Storage | Sufficient space for the app, runtime, shaders, and user-provided content |
| Content | User-owned homebrew or legally dumped software only |
Compatibility can differ substantially between devices that appear similar. Check reports
from the same SoC, GPU generation, Android version, and driver family whenever possible.
Download
Google Play — recommended
The supported Google Play build is the easiest installation path and directly supports
continued development, device testing, and compatibility work.
Install Bachata S4 from Google Play
GitHub
Source-linked project builds, release notes, checksums, and downloadable artifacts are
available under GitHub Releases.
[!NOTE]
The GitHub download badge counts GitHub release assets only. It does not include Google
Play installations.
Quick start
- Install Bachata S4 from Google Play or a trusted project release.
- Open the app and complete the initial runtime setup.
- Select the graphics driver appropriate for the device.
- Import user-owned homebrew or a legally dumped title.
- Launch the title and allow initial shader or pipeline compilation to complete.
- Compare the result with the live compatibility database.
- When reporting a problem, include the Bachata S4 release, phone, Android version,
selected driver, reproduction steps, and sanitized session log.
Bachata S4 does not provide PS4 games, firmware, licenses, decryption keys, or copyrighted
system files.
Graphics-driver policy
Turnip drivers are not bundled inside the APK. They are installed after application
setup from the project’s trusted driver feed or imported from a local compatible ZIP.
The exact driver name, version, build, and source must be recorded in compatibility
reports. A filename, Vulkan API version, Android version, or GPU model is not a substitute
for the actual Turnip version.
See documents/android-building.md for the maintained
runtime and packaging rules.
Compatibility data architecture
The website frontend remains in this repository, while compatibility evidence is stored
in the dedicated data repository:
JICA98/Bachata-S4
├── compatibility-site/ # Static frontend
├── scripts/compatibility/ # Capture helper
├── .agents/skills/bachata-compatibility/
└── .github/workflows/compatibility-pages.yml
JICA98/Bachata-S4-Compatibility
├── games/
│ └── CUSAxxxxx/
│ ├── game.json # Stable title metadata
│ └── reports/
│ └── <immutable-report>.json # One file per test
├── assets/
│ └── CUSAxxxxx/<report-id>/
│ ├── screenshots/
│ └── logs/
└── scripts/
├── validate.py
└── build_site_data.py
The homepage loads a compact generated index grouped by CUSA ID. Full history is loaded
only when a user opens a title, preventing duplicate cards and keeping the site responsive
as reports grow.
Submit a compatibility report
Use
.agents/skills/bachata-compatibility/SKILL.md
for the complete agent workflow.
The workflow:
- Searches for or creates one canonical game issue in
JICA98/Bachata-S4.
- Creates a dedicated branch and Git worktree for
Bachata-S4-Compatibility.
- Selects the exact ADB device, Bachata release, and graphics driver.
- Launches the title and captures screenshots, logs, device data, and performance evidence.
- Adds a new immutable report without overwriting previous results.
- Shows the proposed report and screenshots to the tester.
- Publishes the compatibility pull request only after explicit tester confirmation.
- Updates the canonical main-repository issue and embeds representative screenshots in
the issue conversation.
A useful report includes:
- official Bachata S4 release tag and exact commit;
- CUSA serial and game/update version;
- exact phone model, SoC, GPU, RAM, and Android version;
- guest backend;
- graphics-driver type, exact version, build, and source;
- the furthest status actually observed;
- clear reproduction notes and known problems;
- representative screenshots;
- sanitized compressed session logs;
- FPS measurements only when the sampling method is recorded.
Build from source
The open-source emulator client and ARM64 core are available from the
ARM64 client source. The
high-level requirements and build flow below describe the Android build.
Current high-level requirements include:
- Linux or WSL2 x86-64
- JDK 17+ and Node.js 20+
- Android SDK platform/build-tools 37
- Android NDK
30.0.14904198
- CMake
3.22.1
- Ninja
- Debian/Ubuntu runtime build dependencies
High-level build flow:
git submodule update --init --recursive --jobs 8
runtime/scripts/build-runtime-debian.sh
node runtime/tests/verify-runtime.mjs runtime/locks/components.lock.json
node runtime/tests/verify-no-bundled-turnip.mjs runtime/build/rootfs
cd android/BachataS4
./gradlew clean test lintDebug assemblePlaystoreDebug
Do not copy commands from old releases or third-party guides without checking the
maintained Android build document.
Project status
Bachata S4 is not a finished or universal PS4 emulator. A title may:
- fail before rendering;
- reach only menus or partial gameplay;
- have missing graphics, audio, or input;
- run slowly on current mobile hardware;
- behave differently across Android versions or drivers;
- regress or improve between emulator releases;
- require game-specific emulator work.
Public compatibility testing helps determine whether a blocker belongs to guest execution,
kernel/HLE behavior, graphics, audio, input, runtime packaging, or Android integration.
Issues and contributions
Before opening a new game discussion, search for its exact CUSA ID. One canonical issue is
used per game so that reports from different releases, phones, and drivers remain in one
conversation.
FAQ
Does Bachata S4 include PS4 games?
No. Bachata S4 includes no games or copyrighted console content. Users must provide
software they legally own or open-source homebrew.
Does “In-game” mean a title is fully playable?
No. It means controllable gameplay was reached in a specific recorded environment. Check
the report’s notes, screenshots, device, driver, and emulator release.
Why can the same title behave differently on two phones?
CPU generation, GPU, Android version, available memory, graphics driver, thermal limits,
and emulator release can all affect behavior.
Which devices are recommended?
Recent flagship Snapdragon devices with Adreno GPUs are currently the most practical
testing targets, but no device guarantees compatibility.
Where should Bachata S4 be downloaded?
Google Play is the recommended supported installation. GitHub Releases provide
source-linked project builds and checksums.
Legal
Bachata S4 is an independent open-source project and is not affiliated with, endorsed by,
or sponsored by Sony Interactive Entertainment.
“PlayStation” and related marks are trademarks of their respective owners. Bachata S4 does
not distribute games, firmware, keys, licenses, or copyrighted system components.
Use only software and content you have the legal right to run.
Credits
- shadPS4 developers and contributors —
emulator core
- FEX-Emu developers and contributors — x86-64 guest
execution
- Winlator, Vortek, Box64, Mesa, Vulkan, GNU, and other runtime projects listed in
NOTICE.android-runtime.md
- Everyone submitting reproducible reports, screenshots, logs, fixes, and testing feedback
License
Bachata S4 is licensed under
GPL-2.0-or-later. Third-party runtime components retain their respective
licenses; see NOTICE.android-runtime.md.
Support / Donate
If you find Bachata S4 useful and would like to support ongoing development, donations are welcome:
| Method | Address / Identifier |
|---|
| Bitcoin (BTC) | bc1q9zc0nxypk0lugjrst7hrqmlarvvk848rpxjepy |
| Tether (USDT) | [email protected] |
