> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://blog.matthewbrunelle.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Converting a PS4 Persona 5 Royal NG+ Save to Steam with Adversarial Interoperability - URL: https://blog.matthewbrunelle.com/converting-a-ps4-persona-5-royal-ng-save-to-steam-with-adversarial-interoperability/ - Published: 2026-08-09T16:19:07.000Z - Updated: 2026-08-09T16:19:07.000Z - Description: Sony is locking the PlayStation down more and more. I just want to free my PS4 Persona 5 Royal save so I can play on Steam. - Author: Matthew Brunelle - Tags: Games, Open Source #### On this page Why do Persona games keep getting remakes and remasters? It's me. I'm the problem. I find the surveys Atlus sends and say "I will pay money for more remakes": ![persona_library.png](https://blog.matthewbrunelle.com/content/images/2026/08/persona_library.png) While I wait for Persona 4 Revival to release, I want to replay 5\. Specifically, I wanted to do a New Game+, since it goes much quicker than the normal [100+ hours to beat](https://howlongtobeat.com/game/66630?ref=blog.matthewbrunelle.com). I played the initial release when it launched in 2017 on the PS4\. [\[1\]](#fn1) When I heard Royal was getting a release in 2020, I decided to wait and NG+ that. Only problem is that Royal changed the game so much that you couldn't port your save over, so I had to start fresh again. This time I actually *can* NG+ on my PS5, but I am now [past my second year of Linux gaming](https://blog.matthewbrunelle.com/my-second-year-of-the-linux-desktop-for-gaming/) and figured out I could [use my desktop as a Steam Machine thanks to a 50ft HDMI cable](https://blog.matthewbrunelle.com/my-steam-machine-is-a-50ft-hdmi-cable/). Plus, Sony hasn't been behaving favorably lately. Persona 5 Royal was 80% off on Steam recently and as I already established, I will repeatedly pay Atlus for their games. Only problem is I don't want to start a full play through *yet again*. Thankfully we have [adversarial interoperability](https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/10/adversarial-interoperability?ref=blog.matthewbrunelle.com). --- # Decrypting the save PS4 saves need to be decrypted first, because of course there is always DRM. I tried to do this a couple years ago and saw the only solution was a program called Save Wizard which costs $50. Thankfully the FOSS community stepped up and there is now [Garlic Saves](https://www.garlicsaves.com/?ref=blog.matthewbrunelle.com). It's a 100% free site that uses [garlic-savemgr](https://git.etawen.dev/earthonion/garlic-savemgr?ref=blog.matthewbrunelle.com) running on a pool of jailbroken consoles. You upload your save, they decrypt it, and you download the decrypted save. Ironically, I didn't want to pay $50 for Save Wizard, but I donated that amount to Garlic Saves. Anyways, the process is pretty simple: - Garlic Saves converts one save slot at a time. Open up the game and check the save slot with your completion data. Note the slot number. - Put a usb drive into your console. - [Copy the save to the drive](https://web.archive.org/web/20260722025557/https://garlicsaves.com/guides/ps4-to-ps5-transfer) - Plug the drive into your computer and look for `/PS4/SAVEDATA/<16-character hex name>` - Make an account on Garlic Saves and add the hex name. - The folder will have a bunch of files like `DATA0` and `DATA0.bin`. Make a zip containing both files for the slot you want to convert. - Upload the zip and wait ![decrypt.png](https://blog.matthewbrunelle.com/content/images/2026/08/decrypt.png) - Download the descrypted save. --- # Converting the save Once decrypted, you can convert the save to the Steam format using a small Python script [fiber-saveutil](https://github.com/zarroboogs/fiber-saveutil?ref=blog.matthewbrunelle.com). The instructions use pip, but I used uv instead and had no issues: [\[2\]](#fn2) ``` uv init uv add -r requirements.txt uv run fiber-saveutil.py convert Persona_5_Royal_CUSA17416_dec/ Persona_5_Royal_CUSA17416_dec/ ``` When I unzipped the decrypted save, I got the directory `Persona_5_Royal_CUSA17416_dec`. I'm using that for both the input and output, which will overwrite the original files. Also note from the readme: > Equipping any one of these will result in a soft-lock since the *Raidou Kuzunoha Costume & BGM Special Set* was cut from the PC version - you'll need to use a [mod](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/546718581572894730/1032708752538882171/Fiber%5FRaidou%5FRestore.7z?ref=blog.matthewbrunelle.com) to restore them. All that's left is to: - Disable cloud sync for the game in Steam. - Start the game once to create the save directory. - Your save data on Linux will likely be in `~/.steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/1687950/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/AppData/Roaming/SEGA/P5R/Steam//savedata/`. Make a folder matching your slot number. In my case that was `DATA04`. - Copy `DATA.DAT` from the script's output directory into the new DATA directory. - Re-enable your cloud sync. That's it! Start your NG+ and *take your time*. --- When the Steam version of the game was released, Atlus also released a PS5 upgrade. I could have bought that, but you can't import your PS4 save into the PS5 version. Plus, Sony is [no longer producing discs](https://blog.playstation.com/2026/07/01/physical-disc-production-ending-in-january-2028-for-new-games-releasing-on-playstation-consoles/?ref=blog.matthewbrunelle.com)[\[3\]](#fn3), [removing videos people paid for](https://www.playstation.com/en-gb/legal/psvideocontent/?ref=blog.matthewbrunelle.com), [introducing 30 day online DRM](https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/playstation/sony-rolls-out-30-day-online-drm-check-in-for-playstation-digital-games-players-could-temporarily-lose-access-if-they-dont-keep-their-consoles-online?ref=blog.matthewbrunelle.com), [hiking prices](https://blog.playstation.com/2026/03/27/new-price-changes-for-ps5-ps5-pro-and-playstation-portal-remote-player/?ref=blog.matthewbrunelle.com), [testing out dynamic pricing](https://www.polygon.com/playstation-store-dynamic-pricing-testing/?ref=blog.matthewbrunelle.com) and [no longer bringing games to PC](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-04/sony-pulls-back-from-playstation-games-on-pc?ref=blog.matthewbrunelle.com). Five different countries are now [suing PlayStation](https://kotaku.com/playstation-is-being-sued-in-five-different-countries-over-anti-competitive-concerns-and-the-end-of-discs-isnt-helping-2000722141?ref=blog.matthewbrunelle.com). More and more third party titles are now releasing on PC without any kind of delayed release. Atlus is simultaneously releasing Persona 4 Revival next year on PS5, Steam and Xbox. Oh also, if you had bought the PS5 version of the game, started a new save and then decided you wanted to convert the save to Steam you would be out of luck. You can't export the PS5 saves. If anyone wants to NG+ and can't get their old save, I've uploaded my converted save [here](https://github.com/ciferkey/fiber-saveutil?ref=blog.matthewbrunelle.com) in a fork of fiber-saveutil that includes the uv changes. --- 1. At the time I lived with someone and their room was right next to the living room, so they were subjected to the battle theme *Last Surprise* over and over again. [↩︎](#fnref1) 2. Here's the [docs on converting to UV](https://docs.astral.sh/uv/guides/migration/pip-to-project/?ref=blog.matthewbrunelle.com#the-uv-lockfile) if you're interested. [↩︎](#fnref2) 3. Though you should have a look at [DoesItPlay](https://www.doesitplay.org/?ref=blog.matthewbrunelle.com) since many discs aren't even full games anymore. [↩︎](#fnref3)