Video summary

I Played Deadlock on the PS4. It's as bad as it Sounds.

Main summary

Key takeaways

Technology

Summary (technological focus)

  • Context / Goal: The creator attempts to run Valve’s Deadlock (a multiplayer, early-development game) on a modded PS4. Deadlock is launched via Steam Play/Proton rather than native Linux support.

Hardware / storage changes for performance

  • The PS4 typically uses a spinning hard drive. To improve responsiveness, the creator installs a 512GB Micron SATA SSD internally.
  • For the PS4 Linux setup, they copy/install the Linux kernel/initrd/ramdisk onto the internal SSD using a script flow (including a reference to linux_hd.sh).

Jailbreak method improvements (stability + automation)

Instead of a manual website/flash-drive-based jailbreak process (often unreliable and requiring reactivation after power cycles), they use a more automated approach:

  • Tooling: A Raspberry Pi 4B running a PPPoE / “PPpone” jailbreak server.

  • Network-triggered exploit: The PS4 sends an Ethernet exploit trigger on boot until jailbreak completes, reducing repetitive manual steps and improving success rate.

  • Requirements / constraints:

    • The PS4 system software version must be 11 or lower.
    • They reference the “modded Warfare” YouTube channel for related installation/jailbreak guidance.

Linux environment variations

  • They test different Linux distros/configurations (including Fedora, and earlier PS4 Linux install attempts).
  • They address a UI issue by adjusting Steam interface-related settings—specifically enabling the “last” option in Steam’s interface settings.

Deadlock launch / performance strategy

  • They use Steam Big Picture Mode and configure launch options.
  • Resolution is tuned aggressively for performance:
    • Starts around 144p
    • Also tests 360p, 720p, and later 540p
  • They attempt to influence the graphics API path:
    • Proton is required
    • They try to use Vulkan to reduce CPU overhead (likely to avoid some DXVK-related costs)

Performance results:

  • FPS is often limited to single digits, depending on match type and settings.
  • They observe long reboot penalties—about 20 minutes after a crash/reboot.

Critical system-level fix: enabling Linux swap to prevent RAM exhaustion

A key turning point is identifying that Linux had no swap space, causing the system to crash as RAM usage approached limits.

  • They create/enable a swap file on the SSD (raising it up to 16GB swap).

  • They tune swap behavior via:

    • vm.swappiness = 100 This forces the system to use swap more actively to avoid OOM/lockups.

  • This swap setup is presented as the change that allows Deadlock to become functional on the PS4.

In-game testing modes and outcomes

Primary test modes:

  • Sandbox mode
  • Private bot matches

Later tests:

  • Public bot matches, but performance/responsiveness are described as extremely poor (around ~5 seconds per frame).

Observed issues:

  • Visual glitches/horizontal lines.
  • Instability increases at higher resolutions.
  • They note resolution changes mid-game may be possible at least briefly without immediate full crash.

Attempt on PS4 Pro as additional comparison

  • They repeat the install approach on a PS4 Pro and try Deadlock again.
  • Performance is mixed and mostly worse at higher settings:
    • Attempts at more “native” 1080p lead to extreme FPS drops
    • They revert to very low render scales (around ~540p)
  • Eventually the system/game becomes unrecoverably frozen:
    • No meaningful task manager updates
    • Cursor remains, but UI does not respond

Key “review / guide / tutorial” takeaways embedded in the video

  • More reliable jailbreak/boot exploit: Use a Raspberry Pi 4B over Ethernet to trigger the jailbreak, avoiding manual website + flash drive steps.

  • Internal Linux install flow: Use scripts and copy kernel/ramdisk/VRAM payloads onto the internal SSD.

  • Performance guidance for constrained Linux/Proton setups:

    • Prefer Vulkan via launch options where possible (even when using Proton)
    • Start with very low resolutions and render scalars
    • Add swap space and tune vm.swappiness to prevent RAM-induced crashes

Main speakers / sources

  • Main speaker: The YouTube creator/host narrating and performing the PS4/PS4 Pro installs and testing.

  • Named external source for setup: “modded Warfare” (referenced for jailbreaking/install details).

Original video