RPCS3 announced on October 28, 2026, that its macOS builds ship with KosmicKrisp, a Vulkan driver that runs over Apple’s Metal 4. The driver requires an Apple silicon Mac running macOS 26 Tahoe or later; Intel-based Macs are not supported.
What KosmicKrisp changes in RPCS3
Vulkan is a graphics interface used by applications to communicate with graphics hardware. KosmicKrisp translates Vulkan calls into Metal commands so they can run on Apple silicon. LunarG describes KosmicKrisp as part of Mesa’s Vulkan driver framework and says it was Vulkan 1.4 conformant as of September 2026. LunarG’s KosmicKrisp documentation explains the driver’s role and requirements.
RPCS3 says KosmicKrisp fixes several issues that otherwise occur with MoltenVK. The project’s announcement did not report game-specific performance measurements.
Which Macs can use the new driver?
KosmicKrisp requires Apple silicon and macOS 26 or later. LunarG excludes Intel-based Macs and earlier macOS versions from its stated support. VideoCardz reported that RPCS3 users on macOS 15 Sequoia can continue using MoltenVK.
The Vulkan 1.4 designation describes the driver’s graphics-API conformance. It does not guarantee that every PlayStation 3 game works on a Mac; VideoCardz reported that some macOS-specific game limitations remain.
Does RPCS3 require LunarG’s Vulkan SDK?
RPCS3 says its macOS builds ship with KosmicKrisp. LunarG also distributes the driver through its Vulkan SDK and describes separate setup options for developers, including system-wide configuration or bundling it with an application. That SDK distribution is distinct from RPCS3’s stated inclusion of the driver in its own builds.
