PS5 can now run Linux — but only if you never updated it
Security researcher Andy Nguyen, known online as TheFlow, has released a public bootloader called ps5-linux that turns a PlayStation 5 into a functional Linux PC. The project, published on GitHub, exploits a vulnerability in the console's hypervisor — the low-level software that manages hardware resources. The catch: Sony already patched the flaw, so this only works on consoles still running firmware 3.xx or 4.xx.
The firmware wall
Specific supported versions run from 3.00 up to 4.51, per Tom's Hardware. Any PS5 updated to firmware 5.xx or later — which covers virtually every console that has ever connected to PSN — cannot run this exploit. That makes the pool of eligible hardware very small: PS5 Phat (disc) models that were purchased, then never updated. Used consoles with old firmware are now attracting attention as a result, particularly with discrete GPU prices still elevated and Steam Machines delayed past 2026.
The setup is a soft-mod, not a hardware hack. No soldering or chip modification is required. The exploit must be re-run on every boot, and Linux runs alongside the PS5's internal SSD without wiping the original system — meaning owners can switch between Sony's OS and Linux without permanently committing to either.
What it actually does
The PS5's hardware — an 8-core AMD Zen 2 CPU and an RDNA 2 GPU — is close enough to a mid-range PC that Linux gaming is genuinely viable. GTA V Enhanced with ray tracing runs at a stable 60 fps at 1440p. Spider-Man hits the same resolution and frame rate. This positions the console as a makeshift Steam Machine, the living-room Linux gaming PC concept Valve has been chasing for years.
Limitations are real, though. The built-in Bluetooth that powers the DualSense controller doesn't work under Linux, so an external USB Bluetooth dongle is required. Some monitors run into HDMI driver issues. The 120Hz output mode isn't supported yet. And because the exploit is impermanent, there's no set-and-forget installation — Hackaday notes you'll also need a 64GB USB drive to get started.
Who this is actually for
Right now, ps5-linux is a project for tinkerers — people who held back updates intentionally and want to see what Sony's hardware can do without Sony's software in the way. Wccftech draws a direct line to the PS3 OtherOS saga, where Sony removed Linux support in 2010 and faced a class action lawsuit over it. That history makes this feel less like a novelty and more like a community reclaiming something.
For most PS5 owners, none of this is accessible. But it confirms that the hardware inside the console is capable of far more than Sony allows — and that the gap between a locked console and an open PC is, in the end, just software.