PlayStation 2 emulation on Android has just reached a decisive new milestone. ARMSX2, a new open-source PS2 emulator based on PCSX2, was released in version 1.0 at the end of October 2025. And unlike its predecessors, this one might finally become the long-term solution for PS2 emulation on Android phones and tablets.

Since the discontinuation of AetherSX2 in early 2023, PS2 emulation on Android has been in a strange situation. NetherSX2, a fork of the abandoned project, works decently but relies on closed-source code that’s nearly five years old. ARMSX2 is here to change that.

An emulator based on the latest PCSX2 version

ARMSX2 stands out thanks to its modern foundations. Unlike NetherSX2, it uses the latest PCSX2 codebase, integrating all the optimizations and bug fixes from recent years. The project is fully open-source under the GPL 3.0 license, ensuring transparency and community-driven development.

Primarily developed by MoonPower with support from jpolo1224, ARMSX2 was born after years without any open-source PS2 emulator dedicated to ARM systems.

x86-to-ARM64: a temporary solution

A key technical detail: ARMSX2 uses a translation layer that recompiles PCSX2’s x86 code into ARM64 in real time. This approach, similar to Apple’s Rosetta 2, makes it possible to bring PCSX2 to ARM quickly — though at the cost of slightly lower performance for now.

As noted by Retro Dodo, the developers are transparent: performance is currently below NetherSX2, but this is a temporary situation. The team is actively working on optimization and doesn’t rule out a future transition to native ARM64 code.

Compatibility and availability

ARMSX2 runs on any device with a modern ARM64 processor: recent Android smartphones and tablets, as well as iOS, Linux ARM64, and Windows on ARM. Version 1.0.3 is available on GitHub, with a Play Store page coming soon.

As with any PS2 emulator, ARMSX2 requires a BIOS dump from a legitimately owned PS2 console. The user interface is simple and intuitive, with on-screen controls and Bluetooth gamepad support.

pocket-lint.com

The future of PS2 emulation on Android

As highlighted by Android Police, the community welcomes ARMSX2 with cautious optimism. NetherSX2 remains faster for now, but ARMSX2 represents the future thanks to its open-source nature and modern foundation.

For fans of Final Fantasy X, God of War, or Gran Turismo 4, PS2 emulation on Android has never looked so promising. Could ARMSX2 be on track to build the future of portable emulation?