Early proof of concept homebrew shows Vita apps booting on Nintendo Switch

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Thanks to a new project called vita2hos (Horizon OS being the Switch's operating system), you may soon be able to natively run PS Vita apps on your Nintendo Switch. Developed by a user named xerpi, this project acts as a translation layer, redirecting Vita routines to their Switch equivalents, since the Switch and the Vita run on similar CPUs. The Vita uses a 32-bit ARM7 CPU and the Switch uses a 64-bit ARM8 CPU, but can run in a 32-bit mode. "When loading a PlayStation Vita executable, vita2hos redirects the module imports of said executable to jump to routines that implement the same behavior, by using native Horizon OS services, like the one exposed by the original PlayStation Vita OS modules," explains the GitHub. Since there is no emulation happening, if commercial games are ever playable this way, they should run at full speed with few issues.

Right now, this is a very early test build, and no commercial games are booting yet, let alone playable. This video by Modern Vintage Gamer, however, shows it running simple homebrew software like a cube renderer and a touchscreen sample.

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faithvoid

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So with this we can get also perfect compatibility with all psp and psx games right? :blink:

Probably not, I'd imagine. The Vita has a separate MIPS CPU (Allegrex R4000) that it uses to natively run PSP/PSX game code and emulates the GPU side of things on the Vita's ARM CPU cores, with some wrapping done in-between to change certain PSP calls like memory stick access and the like to Vita calls.
 
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Guacaholey

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The Switch doesn't have enough RAM that 64 bit is necessary right? I think 32 bit should be great as long as it can use the full memory.
 

K3Nv2

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I prefer just to use my vita honestly over the fact it's harder to find switches that are cfw able. Vitas may be a bit more expensive but the process is super easy. Cool concept though.
 

shano

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This is basically what Nintendont is doing on Wii (U) consoles and I always hoped something like this would happen to 3DS on Switch since both are ARM based. The more surprised I am that this now happened to PS Vita first.
The Wii U has the Wii hardware in the Wii U already so it's a bit different. Same with Adrenaline on Vita it has the PSP hardware inside. It's more like the recent Android to Vita ports or Atomiswave to Dreamcast ports.

Maybe the 3DS is way more complicated due to having 2 screens? Plus Vita games will translate well being on 1 big screen.
if this ends up working out like that yikes I feel bad for the vita
The Vita will still get used it's a better handheld shape/design wise, fits in the pocket easily, screen still holds up today, and the dpad is one of the best.
 
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medoli900

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The Wii U has the Wii hardware in the Wii U already so it's a bit different. Same with Adrenaline on Vita it has the PSP hardware inside. It's more like the recent Android to Vita ports or Atomiswave to Dreamcast ports.
They meant Nintendon't, which is for GameCube games.
 

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To put it in very simple terms, this homebrew acts as a translator between vita instruction calls and switch instruction calls afaik

So it'd be like having a Spanish speaking person and a Korean speaking person talking to eachother via a 3rd person that acts as a translator for both of them

And iirc this homebrew still can't translate propietary Sony calls like certain graphics initializations or something along those lines
Got it, but I still don't know if this project works as an OS or as a an application for switch OS. And this is very important because RCM users can easily boot whatever OS they want, modchip users has not the same flexibility.
 
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medoli900

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Got it, but I still don't know if this project works as an OS or as a an application for switch OS. And this is very important because RCM users can easily boot whatever OS they want, modchip users has not the same flexibility.
Looking at the source, it's in .nsp form, so shouldn't be an issue for modchip users.
 

DutchyDutch

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Between this and the PS4 emulator Spine, I'm absolutely in love with using virtualization to emulate consoles with way less overhead. Super cool technology
 

BitMasterPlus

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Just wait, someone will make a successor to the Vita using Vita and Nintendo Switch technology combined! Make a worthy successor to the Vita that's even more powerful that we all need!
 

NeoGranzon

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Interesting project,it would also be nice for xerpi or other developers to remove the 30s video recording limit on the Switch.
 

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Can staff post news on the FP when the project gets wings. ATM it doesn't do anything a general user would use it for.
 

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