!!! note "RPCS3 requires official PS3 firmware to be installed through RPCS3's GUI before you can run games. Its recommended to have a mouse/keyboard plugged in for these steps to make it easier to navigate RPCS3's GUI."
1. Download the latest official PS3 firmware from Sony's [PS3 System Software](https://www.playstation.com/en-us/support/hardware/ps3/system-software/) page. *(The downloaded file will be named `PS3UPDAT.PUP`)*
2. Transfer the `PS3UPDAT.PUP` file to `/roms/temp`. If the `temp` folder does not exist then please create it *(you will delete this file after you have installed it)*.
3. Navigate to the Tools system and then select ++"Start RPCS3"++. This will open the RPCS3 GUI where you will install the firmware you downloaded above.
The firmware will be installed and then a window will open to process the needed files; please let this process complete. Once complete you can close out RPCS3 and return to EmulationStation. You can also delete `PS3UPDAT.PUP` from `/roms/temp` to free up space.
PS3 games are available in two formats: Disc-Based Games and Digital PSN Packages. The steps for setting up a given game differ depending on its source format.
RPCS3 works with decrypted ISO files stored in a folder format so you will need to convert your discs to this format before they can be read by the emulator.
1. Follow [these instructions](https://wiki.rpcs3.net/index.php?title=Help:Dumping_PlayStation_3_games#Using_a_compatible_Blu-ray_drive_with_PC_to_dump_disc_games) from RPCS3's wiki to dump and decrypt your PS3 disc *(recommended: follow the instructions for using [ps3-disc-dumper](https://github.com/13xforever/ps3-disc-dumper/releases))*.
2. Add a `.ps3` extension to the end of the folder name that was generated by ps3-disc-dumper.
RPCS3 requires Digial PSN Packages to be installed through the emulator GUI before they can be played. If you have questions regarding which files are necessary to install PSN games, please check out the [RPCS3 wiki](https://wiki.rpcs3.net/index.php?title=Help:Dumping_PlayStation_3_games#Dumping_PSN_content). The following notes will focus only on the steps needed once you have the needed files.
5. After install please note down the value that is displayed in the `Serial` column in RPCS3's game list for the game you just installed (you will use this in the next set of steps)
As a side note your installed games can be found in `~/roms/bios/RPCS3/dev_hdd0/games` (this may be useful if you ever run into storage limitaions and want to free up space)
In order for your newly installed game to show up in EmulationStation you need to create one more thing... a `.psn` file to represent your installed game.
On the first boot of a game, RPCS3 will compile its PPU modules. This can take a long time so please have patience as its required to run the game. Allowing RPCS3 to do this will also make all future launches of the game much quicker.
To exit a game and return to EmulationStation you can either (1) press the ++"GUIDE"++ button on your controller to open up RPCS3's menu and select `Exit` or (2) Press ++"L1"++ + ++"SELECT"++ + ++"START"++