Hacked PS3 games running on Vita via Remote Play

By Richard Leadbetter Published 23 January, 2012

Battlefield 3, Batman, Mortal Kombat and more shown in vids.

YouTube videos have emerged showing hit PlayStation 3 titles running via Remote Play on the new PSVita handheld. Camera footage of titles such as Red Dead Redemption, Mortal Kombat, Battlefield 3 and Batman: Arkham Asylum has been recorded and uploaded, and there's absolutely no reason whatsoever to assume that the videos are anything but genuine.

The games are running on PlayStation 3s that are using hacked versions of the 3.55 firmware - the last update released by Sony that was vulnerable to the Fail0verflow security exploit. Remote Play support is actually an OS-level function that can turned on simply by adjusting a single variable, and as the processing overhead uses a relatively small amount of processing time from just one SPU, a majority of PlayStation 3 titles will work just fine.

While official PlayStation Vita support for Remote Play was only introduced in the PS3's 4.0 firmware, the new handheld is registered as a "mobile phone" on 3.55 and appears to function just fine. However, we would assume that the bespoke support that Sony added would offer up some advantages in terms of picture quality and response time. If there's one thing that's obvious from the footage, it's that latency is a real problem with this hack - this is something that we would hope would be resolved with proper support from Sony.

In November last year, Eurogamer reported that Sony had plans to enable Vita Remote Play on all PS3 games at PSP's 480x272 resolution, while also revealing that titles with specific support would run at 480p resolution. At the Tokyo Game Show last year, games such as LittleBigPlanet 2 and Killzone 3 were shown running via Remote Play at this higher resolution.

Digital Foundry will be taking a closer, more in-depth look at PlayStation Vita's official Remote Play support in a future article - in the meantime, here's how Battlefield 3 looks using the existing hack.

Picture of Richard.

About Richard Leadbetter

Rich has been a games journalist since the days of 16-bit and specialises in technical analysis. Commonly known around Eurogamer as the Blacksmith of the Future.

Read more articles from Richard by visiting the Richard Leadbetter archive page.

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Comments (65) Latest comment 2 weeks ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Canyarion #1 1 month ago

    So for somebody who hasn't followed it from the beginning: What exactly is this Remote Play? The PS3 streams the graphics to the Vita, like Nintendo will do with the Wii Upad?

  • frod. #2 1 month ago

    Latency is a problem because TCP/IP is not designed for real-time streaming. It's not going to go away, especially with wifi in the mix.

  • seeafish #3 1 month ago

    @Canyarion
    It's a way to stream your PS3 game to your Vita so you can play your PS3 games anywhere in the world. Not the same as the Wii U pad, however, that kind of functionality is also possible with the PS3 and Vita.

    Also, if this makes Sony tie things down and remove remote play functionality, then FUCK HAX0Rz!
    Edited by 1 at 23/01/12 @ 12:46

  • Nismo400R84 #4 1 month ago

    @frod WiFi wouldn't be a problem I don't think ,problem will be as the article says latency from the inputs from the vita to ps3.

  • rojjer #5 1 month ago

    Well, yeah fuck hax0rs but I can see this driving up Vita sales ironically

  • razzafazza #6 1 month ago

    via the app splashtop HD you can play pretty much any PC game on your smartphone/tablet since its just "streamed" from the PC. apparently works great at home but obviously over the internet you are going to have big problems with latency.

    i imagine remote play is the same but i m baffled why Sony wont let it work with all games (right now almost none) - something perfectly possibly on any smartphone/tablet AND last but not least a custom firmware original PSP.

  • Okamiwolf #7 1 month ago

    The only real use for this is being able to go to the bathroom in the middle of a multiplayer match so you can keep playing while you poop.

  • dsmx #8 1 month ago

    The main issue with latency using remote play isn't the wireless connection it's the already existing controller latency when playing games because as digital foundry has shown a lot of games are on the limit of what is acceptable already and using remote play will add around 20-100 ms of lag depending on your location (in the house or out and about in the UK).

  • FortysixterUK #9 1 month ago

    Isn't this similar to the function that the Wii-u will have?

  • dsmx #10 1 month ago

    wrong way round the wii-u is copying the psp, the psp did it first and the vita is carrying on that the psp started.

  • Water1111 #11 1 month ago

    bu bu pirates are only on PC!?!

  • Obli #12 1 month ago

    @EddieMink Why do you come to articles with the name Sony in it?

  • greekgoddj #13 1 month ago

    For once I support the hack... might make Sony get off their a** and enable Remote Play properly.

  • apoc_reg #14 1 month ago

    Hope Sony come through on their promise, demon/dark souls on the go would be soon good!

  • kirankara #15 1 month ago

    @EddieMink let us know when these jokes happen ok?

  • Bradach #16 1 month ago

    @EddieMink so the vita is like paper? Good troll

  • patch #17 1 month ago

    @EddieMink When you start the good jokes, we'll start the good comebacks :p

  • rivuzu #18 1 month ago

    @EddieMink
    Sarcasm, the most dult of wits ever born.

    Can't tell whats worse though; that, or the beating of the chests of the outraged masses because one person doesn't like a flippin' handheld not even out yet.

    EGers are an odd bunch.

  • patch #19 1 month ago

    @EddieMink Psssh, and you criticize other people's comebacks? I don't think you're really trying.

  • arcam #20 1 month ago

    Back to more important matters - @EddieMink What do you have against full stops at the end of your posts?

  • DrStrangelove #21 1 month ago

    it's that latency is a real problem with this hack - this is something that we would hope would be resolved with proper support from Sony.
    Yeah Sony, better make some fucking good latency for the hackers. What were you thinking?

  • rudedudejude #22 1 month ago

    Don't worry they'll soon lock it down and start arresting anyone that has watched the above film.

  • jonfon #23 1 month ago

    @dsmx "wrong way round the wii-u is copying the psp, the psp did it first and the vita is carrying on that the psp started."
    The PSP did start it (or rather the PS3 did, since you could also Remote Play from a Sony Laptop), but no game ever seemed supported it unfortunately. It was one of those nice ideas Sony have which appeared and then died a slow, painful death.

    With this iteration though the support seems to be automatic, rather than relying on the developer to allow/provide it and the latency seems a lot better than the PS3 & PSP version (which was cripplingly slow for me when I tried it).

  • Liquidoodle #24 1 month ago

    I can't tell, is that guy just bad at playing Battlefield or are Vita controls not great for First Person games?

  • rivuzu #25 1 month ago

    Oooooh Eddie, I wouldn't stand for that if I was you. You go girl.

    /popcorn

  • TheEarlOfZinger #26 1 month ago

    Sony should have had this feature unlocked from the off, then nobody would have needed to hack it. Just a thought.

  • NotSoSlim #27 1 month ago

    If they have it unlocked who will buy Vita games?

    Also they are using hacked PS3 not Vita

  • TheEarlOfZinger #28 1 month ago

    @NotSoSlim

    Ok, I totally failed to understand that - cheers.

  • orangpelupa #29 1 month ago

    btw this in the "PS3-PSP Scene" is "old news". Its already known that PS3 games can be "forced" to enable remoteplay by changing some parameter.

    if i remember correctly, its in the PARAM.SFO file in the root of game folder/bluray disc

    but yes it becom "new news" when its now confirmed that the "forced enable" of remoteplay is also compatible to be streamed to VITA too.

    sorry bad english.

  • kaufmann #30 1 month ago

    i am buttman

  • Tiberius_Gracchus #31 1 month ago

    So what does this mean for the Vita and Sony exactly? Is it now more open to hacking for pirate games?

  • steagz #32 1 month ago

    Fantastic news

    a little song to celebrate being able to play ps3 games on a small screen

    Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah!
    Roma-Roma-ma-ah!
    Ga-ga-ooh-la-la!
    Want your bad romance

  • FireMonkey #33 1 month ago

    @dsmx - "The main issue with latency using remote play isn't the wireless connection it's the already existing controller latency when playing games because as digital foundry has shown a lot of games are on the limit of what is acceptable already and using remote play will add around 20-100 ms of lag depending on your location (in the house or out and about in the UK)."

    Umm.. You are saying the latency is not the problem of wireless connection, but then you say lag will increase via remote play depending on where you are and so you are saying it is to do with the wireless connection!

    There will be lag for the input being sent to the PS3 via wireless (additional to running on PS3), lag for the handling of the input in code (the same as on PS3), lag for sending the image buffer back to the Vita via wireless (additional to running on PS3) and lag in the display rendering the image (depends on what display / settings you have as all displays have some lag).

    Therefore the only additional lag 'should' be in transmitting data via wireless and potentially from the screen displaying the image.

  • Astro-Creature #34 1 month ago

    We had this with the PSP.

    They are miming to video recordings of gameplay.

    Eurogamer, I am dissapoint :/

  • orangpelupa #35 1 month ago

    @Astro-Creature maybe we should point the dissapointment to SONY or the devs.

    why they even disable remoteplay? O_o
    it can easily be enabled by editing the PARAM.SFO

  • FuzzyDuck #36 1 month ago

    This is a curio more than anything, the lag surely makes the games unplayable?

    Also, i feel that EddieMink is a sad, but angry panda who needs a hug, aww.

  • Mindstorm #37 1 month ago

    Ay Carramba!

  • Abdu@EG #38 1 month ago

    BORING

  • solidSnake04 #39 1 month ago

    @dsmx How does Onlive and GaiKai work (or dont work) ... ?

  • Djimm #40 1 month ago

    Eagerly awaiting this being the official fix for PS3 controller lag on BF3 - buy a Vita and play it down res-ed without having to faff with your PS3 display settings!

  • Huxamalay #41 1 month ago

    This is a really good idea, I would actually be able to play my PS3 through the vita whilst the missus hogs the TV in teh evenings

  • Ramboness #42 1 month ago

    I didn't know the vita was farting so much...

  • Vixremento #43 1 month ago

    Actually this looks cool - having the ability to play any PS3 game on a handheld in bed would be awesome. Now I wonder if it would be possible to stream an Android/iPad screen to a Vita (the controls are a sure win and the screen wherever you are keeping the action with you throughout your house alone would be pretty wicked)...of course I'm assuming they'd have to hack the Vita (is Bluetooth even an option or are it's speeds more limited? Maybe use Bluetooth for controls and the WiFi for the image? AHHH so many questions I'm rather going to drink more Whisky!)

    "Comment below viewing threshold"...ah just bliss when the same chap posts many times and the wonderful community helps you from seeing spoiled (read this now in "American";) tomatoes.

  • FireMonkey #44 1 month ago

    @solidSnake04 - I believe in a very similar way (input sent to machine running game, screen dump sent back to be displayed), but with very well compressed and optimised data. I think the compression is also meant to be dynamic based on your bandwidth (i.e. the slowr it goes, the more is compresses)

  • vizzini #45 1 month ago

    frod: Latency is a problem because TCP/IP is not designed for real-time streaming. It's not going to go away, especially with wifi in the mix.

    Well I studied the protocol extensively at University a decade ago studying networking and telecoms and that is complete rubbish.

    Latency is mostly caused by poor network hardware(like cheap routers) because they aren't fast enough at packet switching, fragmentation/reassembly, transmission resends and packet reordering. The data link layer can also be a major issue if it doesn't provided deterministic packet switching(ie compare Bus to Ring topologies).

    But in this video(assuming it is real, and not just clever use of a video file that has been spliced in at the point the PS3 would report (paraphrasing) “remoteplay unavailable for PS3 game”) they could reduce latency considerably by getting the PS3 to talk directly to the Vita. To do this you just pair the remoteplay devices when the PS3's DHCP host name is left blank in the network settings, so that the Vita has to use the network connection name “Playstation3 tm”.

    However this type of remoteplay is purely thin client which is bandwidth intensive or lossy compressed, whereas the processing split between new games (or Sony first part games that get patched) will be much closer to a client/Server approach; eg the PS3 will do all the processing up to the vertex or geometry shader stage(and after the audio mixing stage), and the Vita will just perform the fragment shader stage and DAC stage. Which should reduce bandwidth by only sending per frame differences for most frames each second, and thereby provide far more deterministic processing, even when the engine is data starved and using predictive processing.

  • Spydy #46 1 month ago

    @frod. Really? I thought UDP was designed exactly for that reason.

  • Mr_SRS #47 1 month ago

    I don't get it. What is the point? Why would you play a game on the Vita when you can just play it on the PS3? That is all they are doing, right? It is not like they can take those games with them mobile, they have to always be connected to a PS3. Makes no sense.

  • frod. #48 1 month ago

    "Well I studied the protocol extensively at University a decade ago studying networking and telecoms and that is complete rubbish."

    lol. Whatever you say.

    Forcing video into datagrams is a total waste of time in this context. Guess what the Wii U won't be using?

  • Cobalt_Jackal #49 1 month ago

    @Okamiwolf Yep you said it, you'll be dropping the bombs playing Battlefield 3 LOL XD.

  • Kygzab #50 1 month ago

    @Mr_SRS

    If this makes no sense, then Nintendo doesn't have very good selling points on the Wii U either.

  • Spydy #51 1 month ago

    @vizzini More like your talking complete rubbish. Firstly, TCP/IP is not a protocol. It's a suite of protocols.

    The data link layer doesn't packet switch. That's the job of a layer 3 device. Data link only forwards frames.

    Also, when steaming video, there's no need to use TCP. You would more than likely use UDP which is connectionless and does not require re-assembly, lowering overall latency.

  • Rico3k #52 1 month ago

    @Huxamalay Couldn't agree more!!!!!

  • NeoTechni #53 1 month ago

    Wait, so hackers get remoteplay in every game? Meaning sony could flip a switch and enable it in every game?
    Why don't they? Hackers shouldn't get a better system than the legit users

  • weebl #54 1 month ago

    @Mr_SRS I don't know why you're getting negged for this. I can't really see the point in remote play normally, much less with actual PS3 games that require low latency and a large screen.

    This isn't really a security concern as the PS3 was broken in the first place.

  • vizzini #55 1 month ago

    @frod
    Then the Wii U's networking for the controller won't span any further distance than inside of the home like RemotePlay can, or be very easily adapted to multicast.

    The WiiU controller has a fraction of the Vita's processing prowess, meaning it can only do thin client or master/slave anyway. Where as the future of RemotePlay is likely to utilise OpenGL's(ES), OpenAL and OpenCLs thick client/server model via the TCP/IP protocol (suite) to distribute the processing more intelligently across the two devices.

    @Spydy
    I was clearly using the words protocol and packet in this scenario in their synonym usage. You being pedantic about the terms doesn't change the general argument. And planning for the future TCP/IP or UDP are very suitable for this task provided the switching equipment doesn't add too much latency, as both a PS3's SPU and Vita hardware are more than fast enough to make the overhead a nothing issue.

  • funkateer #56 1 month ago

    @frod
    "TCP/IP is not designed for real-time streaming."

    Are you sure you're not mixing up TCP sockets (which are indeed not ideal for real-time streaming) and the complete TCP/IP stack?
    UDP sockets (which is part of the TCP/IP stack) are afaic perfectly usable for low latency real-time streaming, and in fact RTP (Real Time Protocol) is built on UDP.

    A long time ago I actually implemented a proprietary VoIP solution without using SIP/RTP and was built on TCP only. On a good network, packet loss and reordering and such is usually a non-issue, and latency is still very low if you disable stuff like Nagle.
    Also, I've implemented a multiplayer solution for arcade emulators using TCP sockets in a simple 'lock-step' implementation (in which UDP doesn't make much sense). Perfectly usable with less than 17ms latency, provided you're on a good network.

    That said, there are real problems regarding real-time delivery of high-bandwidth video over TCP/IP, but IMHO they're not caused by TCP/IP itself but more by a bad network for reasons that vizzini pointed out.

    Not saying you're wrong though, so I'd like to learn why you think TCP/IP is not suitable for real-time applications.

  • mastablasta #57 1 month ago

    So glad my ps3 is still on 3.55. I just hope it can be used as a back door to unlock the vita.

  • dadrester #58 1 month ago

    It's not Sony that aren't adding remote play functionality to games. For the most part it's The developers fault. It's literally a line of code to enable it. Just requires a little bit of extra QA time.

    I've only come across a couple of games that have ever used it though (pixel junk monsters for one). It's probably worth noting that all PS1 games work with it but for whatever reason, PS2 ones never did with the back compatible 60gb kits.

    Other than the novelty value I only really used remote play on a few train journeys to stream films off my PC, through my PS3 and a few times while I was on holiday in France, again for music and film, but it was very capable.

  • TagemandBagem #59 1 month ago

    COOPERATIVO! SCORCHIO!

  • cloudskipa #60 1 month ago

    You can see the lag is monstrous on this

  • gjgjg #61 1 month ago

    Well if this were a supported feature I would buy buy buy.
    Another occasion where piracy offers a better service?

  • alexbulluk #62 4 weeks ago

    Sweet. Imagine playing stuff like Portal 2 on your Vita. That would be nice.

  • theguy #63 4 weeks ago

    Does the ps3 need to be on for this to work

  • Flyron #64 4 weeks ago

    @dsmx Well, there was the Gamecube + Gameboy Advance earlier. I count that as a predecessor, even when there was no direct image streaming back then.

  • SGT-packson #65 2 weeks ago

    Hacking a PS3 is a bad idea...
    think about it