GoKawiilGran Turismo 4 and God of War II run in-browser via WebAssembly recompilation
A new open-source project, PS2 Web Recomp, statically translates PlayStation 2 Emotion Engine machine code into C++ and compiles it to WebAssembly, pairing it with a reimplemented PS2 OS and WebGPU-based graphics to run games directly in a browser without an emulator. The project, a sibling to an earlier PSP recompilation effort, has gotten Gran Turismo 4 and God of War II playable from boot through gameplay, with saves stored in the browser; users must supply their own disc images since no game data is distributed.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Static recompilation avoids the overhead of traditional emulation, letting demanding PS2 titles run at or near full frame rate on ordinary laptop GPUs within a browser, which could make preservation and web-based play more practical for owners of original discs. The developer's choice of technically demanding titles like Gran Turismo 4, which depends on exact floating-point behavior and vector units, suggests an effort to stress-test the recompiler's accuracy across diverse PS2 hardware quirks.
- PS2 games are translated ahead of time into C++/WebAssembly rather than emulated at runtime, using WebGPU for rendering.
- Gran Turismo 4 runs at full PAL speed (50fps) and God of War II hits 60fps in combat on integrated laptop GPUs.
- The tool requires users to provide their own legally owned disc images; no game data is bundled.
Sony DualSense Wireless Controller — If you're going to play PS2 classics like Gran Turismo 4 recompiled in your browser, a proper gamepad makes all the difference for racing and action titles. The DualSense's responsive sticks and comfortable grip suit long gaming sessions, and it pairs easily over Bluetooth with a laptop running Chrome. It's a great way to get a console-like feel while revisiting these recompiled retro games.
See Sony DualSense Wireless Controller on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: github.com, 2026-10-12
Published there as: “Show HN: PS2 games statically recompiled to WebAssembly”
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