PlayStation 4 emulation on PC via the ShadPS4 emulator is poised to reach new heights in the near future. The developers behind the emulator that made the dream of playing Bloodborne on PC with enhanced visuals and performance a reality have revealed ShadNet, an open-source infrastructure project designed to allow users to play multiplayer games online.
"ShadNet is going to offer shadPS4 users a way to connect, and play online games together. This project has been in the works for a few months now, but its in a stage where we can announce it officially," the announcement on the ShadPS4 official website reads. "ShadNet is still in development, and there is still a lot to be done, but its ready for testing. At this moment, only tracking score works, but please feel free to give it a try!"
Although account registrations are already open, the ShadNet launcher is not yet available. Still, this is an impressive development, considering just two years ago, the ShadPS4 emulator could barely go in-game in Bloodborne. With ShadNet, not only it will be possible to enjoy FromSoftware's action RPG with its full set of multiplayer features, but also play many other games online as if on a real system with a PlayStation Plus subscription.
This could lead Sony to take some action, given its plans to maximize revenue for the subscription service, but since the Japanese company hasn't taken any action against the ShadPS4 emulator yet, it's difficult to say.
June 2026 has seen plenty of activity from the ShadPS4 team. Earlier this month, the team launched the emulator's version 0.16.0, the biggest update to date which significantly enhanced emulation with a new configuration system for improved settings management, local multiplayer support, improved Vulkan stability and expanded Neo GPU instruction to improve compatibility of games using PlayStation 4 Pro features.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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