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We used The FloW's softmod, among other tools, to install Linux on a Sony PlayStation 5. The process involves jailbreaking the PS5 to softmod it with Linux. Our lawyers tell us that we can make this video, but console makers are historically very "sensitive" (read: overbearing, sometimes to illegality and settlements) with regards to people doing what they want with hardware they bought and own. This mod allowed us to overclock the PS5, adjust the fan curves, install Steam, and even play Halo: Combat Evolved on the PS5 with Linux. Ubuntu, Arch, and Alpine are all supported payloads right now.

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TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Installing Linux on a PS5
02:45 - Challenges
03:46 - How to Install Linux on a PlayStation 5
05:50 - THE SETUP
11:34 - More Details
13:35 - Benchmarks and Overclocking
15:09 - Halo Combat Evolved
16:13 - Stellaris Benchmark
17:15 - Crimson Desert
18:11 - 3DMark FireStrike
19:40 - Hardware Bans and Softmods
21:43 - Some Quirks
24:43 - Conclusion

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Gamers Nexus jailbroke a PlayStation 5 using Andy Nguyen's (TheFlow) softmod to boot Ubuntu Linux from an external USB drive, then installed Steam and ran games including Halo: Combat Evolved and Stellaris. The process involved setting up a fake DNS server and HTTPS server on a laptop to deliver exploit payloads to the PS5 via its user guide browser. The mod also enables overclocking the PS5's CPU to 3,500 MHz and GPU to 2,230 MHz. Benchmarks showed Halo averaging 91 FPS with poor 0.1% lows due to hitching, and overclocking provided roughly 5-7% performance improvements. Key limitations include no Wi-Fi/Bluetooth support, 1080p display reliability issues, and the requirement for older PS5 firmware (3.x or 4.x). The softmod is non-permanent — rebooting returns the console to PlayStation OS.

We Hacked & Overclocked a PS5 to Install Linux and Steam