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PS4 Games Are Running on Android—but How Well Do They Actually Play?

Bachata S4 can reach gameplay in some PS4 games on Android, but its 2026 snapshot lists zero games as Playable. Here’s what the tests show and how emulation differs from Remote Play.
Length5 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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Yes: PS4 games can now run locally on some Android devices through Bachata S4, an experimental ARM64 port built around the shadPS4 emulator core. A handful of games reach controllable gameplay, and some reported tests look surprisingly smooth. But the project’s 2026 compatibility snapshot classifies zero of its nine tested games as “Playable,” so this is a technical milestone—not a reliable way to play a PS4 library on a phone.

If you want to play games from your own console on Android today, that is a separate option: Sony’s PS Remote Play streams from a PS4 or PS5 over a network. It does not emulate PS4 games on the phone.

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Is there a PS4 emulator for Android?

There is an experimental Android project called Bachata S4. It adapts the shadPS4 emulator core, which is designed for desktop operating systems, for ARM64 Android devices. The Android project describes a stack that includes FEX-based x86-64 guest execution, a managed Linux runtime, Android display, audio and input integration, and Vulkan rendering through compatible drivers.

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This is local emulation: the Android device runs the emulator and game workload. Bachata S4 supports touch controls and physical controllers, but a controller does not make a game more compatible or improve the phone’s performance.

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The distinction matters because “PS4 games on Android” can also mean streaming a game from a console. Bachata S4 is an experimental attempt to run games locally; PS Remote Play sends video and controls between an Android device and a PS4 or PS5.

How well do the Android tests run?

Bachata S4’s published results show that reaching gameplay is possible, but performance varies sharply by game and configuration. These are results reported by the project—not independent benchmarks or predictions for other phones.

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Game Reported result
Bloodborne Reached controllable gameplay in Hunter’s Dream. A recorded Turnip test averaged 21.03 FPS, with 17–30 FPS observed during gameplay.
Dark Souls: Remastered Reached controllable gameplay in Undead Asylum at roughly 24–30 FPS on the recorded Turnip configuration.
Sonic Mania Reached Green Hill Zone Act 1 at about 60 FPS in the recorded Vortek test.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Reached controllable gameplay in the opening Ashina Reservoir area, at roughly 19–30 FPS with heavier dips.
Dragon’s Crown Pro Reached controllable dungeon gameplay at about 60 FPS in a recorded OnePlus 13 / Turnip gen8 v3 test.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattan Reached stage gameplay at a reported locked 30 FPS in a recorded OnePlus 13 / Turnip gen8 v3 test.
Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy Reached the title screen but did not advance to gameplay in the recorded test.
Galak-Z Booted and rendered frames, but remained blocked before the title screen.
SnowRunner Reached a rendered title screen at roughly 15–20 FPS, but remained static and did not respond to input in the recorded test.

Even a promising frame-rate figure describes only the named game and test setup. It does not establish how the same title will behave on another phone, with another emulator release or graphics driver, or over a longer session.

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What “in-game” means—and what it doesn’t

In its 2026 published snapshot, Bachata S4 lists nine tested games: six marked “In-game,” one “Menus,” and two “Boots.” It lists zero as “Playable.” These labels are useful because a game can get past startup without being ready for a normal playthrough.

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  • In-game: Controllable gameplay was reached in the tested configuration. This does not mean the game was completed or shown to work reliably for a long session.
  • Menus: The test reached menus but not gameplay.
  • Boots: The game started to some extent, but did not reach the point represented by the higher compatibility labels.
  • Playable: In the project’s terminology, suitable for normal play in the tested configuration without a major blocker.

Reaching gameplay can still leave substantial problems with stability, graphics, audio, controls, speed, or completing the game. The project cautions that success on one configuration does not guarantee the same result on another.

What an Android phone needs for Bachata S4

The project lists Android 12 or later, an ARM64 device, and a Vulkan-capable GPU with a compatible driver as requirements. It recommends a recent high-end Snapdragon/Adreno device. Those are project requirements and recommendations, not a guarantee that a particular phone or game will work.

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Compatibility can change with the game, emulator release, device, Android version, thermal state, guest backend, and graphics driver. A result recorded on a specific device and driver should not be generalized to Android phones as a whole. The project’s documentation also says users must provide homebrew or legally dumped software they own or are otherwise legally entitled to use, and that it does not distribute games, firmware, decryption keys, licenses, or other copyrighted console files. That is the project’s statement, not a legal conclusion for every jurisdiction or copying situation.

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Local emulation or PS Remote Play?

These approaches solve different problems. Emulation runs the game workload on the Android device; Remote Play streams a game running on a PS4 or PS5. The practical differences are:

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Bachata S4 PS Remote Play
What runs the game The Android device, using experimental local emulation. A PS4 or PS5 console; Android receives a stream.
Network dependence Local emulation does not stream from a console. Requires a console and a suitable network connection.
Published compatibility evidence The project’s 2026 snapshot lists nine tested games and zero as “Playable.” Sony documents streaming setup and network recommendations; this is not Android emulation.
Android requirements Android 12+, ARM64, and Vulkan support with a compatible driver, according to the project. Sony lists Android 9+ for on-screen controls, Android 10+ for DUALSHOCK 4 Bluetooth support, and Android 12+ for DualSense support.
Controls Touch controls and physical controllers are supported by the project; controller compatibility can vary. Sony also lists Backbone One PlayStation Edition as compatible with Android phones running Android 10 or later.

Remote Play is the established choice if you have a console and want to stream its games to your phone. Sony recommends a high-speed connection of at least 5 Mbps and at least 15 Mbps for the best performance; it also lists 5 Mbps as a minimum and 15 Mbps for a better experience on its Remote Play overview. Network quality and latency affect the experience, so meeting a speed figure alone does not guarantee smooth play.

  1. Install and open PS Remote Play, then sign in with the same PlayStation account used on the PS4. Sony’s PS4 Remote Play setup instructions describe the console-side setup.
  2. Connect to your PS4 or PS5 and use on-screen controls or a supported controller. Sony’s Android-version requirements differ by control method, as listed above.
  3. If the stream stutters or responds slowly, check network quality and latency; Sony recommends at least 15 Mbps for the better experience.

Should you try PS4 emulation on Android?

If you are interested in the technical progress and have compatible hardware, Bachata S4’s reported results are remarkable: some tests reach responsive gameplay, and a few show high frame rates in particular configurations. If your goal is to play PS4 games normally, the project’s zero “Playable” entries are the more important figure. Treat it as experimental, expect game-by-game troubleshooting, and do not assume that a successful test on one device will carry over to yours.

If you already own a PS4 or PS5 and want a practical phone-play option, Remote Play is streaming rather than emulation and depends on the console and network. The two routes should not be confused just because both put PS4 games on an Android screen.

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