Chiaki vs Chiaki-ng – Which Remote Play Client Should You Use?
New users should pick chiaki-ng; existing Chiaki users can migrate painlessly. The original Chiaki (v2.2.0) is complete, stable, and officially in maintenance mode — no major updates are planned. Chiaki-ng (v1.10.0) is its actively developed fork with HDR, new renderers, native Steam Deck support, and a far larger controller database. Here’s the honest side-by-side.
Chiaki vs Chiaki-ng: Side-by-Side
| Dimension | Chiaki (original) | Chiaki-ng |
|---|---|---|
| Development status | Maintenance mode only — “considered finished”, no major updates planned | Actively developed, regular releases |
| Latest release | v2.2.0 | v1.10.0 |
| HDR streaming | No dedicated HDR pipeline | Yes — hardware-accelerated HDR, custom libplacebo scalers, spatial upscaler presets |
| Renderer options | Older Vulkan/libplacebo pipeline | Vulkan and OpenGL backends (v1.10.0), VSync, adaptive queue depth |
| Steam Deck | No dedicated build or game-mode integration | Native Flatpak (io.github.streetpea.Chiaki4deck), launcher script, HDR in game mode |
| Controller mapping | Smaller, older mapping database | Greatly expanded in v1.9.x; positional layout option for Nintendo-style controllers; DualSense trigger/haptic fixes |
| PSN Account ID | Manual lookup (scripts/packet capture) | In-app PlayStation login since v1.6.0 |
| Registration | 8-digit PIN required | Automatic pinless registration for locally discovered consoles (v1.9.4+) |
| Wake / sleep console | Basic wake support | Automated wake & sleep on Windows and macOS (v1.9.9+) |
| Android app | Official app on Google Play and F-Droid | No official Android build (use the original’s app or a community fork) |
The Verdict
- Starting fresh? Install chiaki-ng. It does everything the original does, plus years of improvements.
- Happy on the original? Nothing forces you to move — it remains complete and stable. Migrate when you want HDR, Deck support, or better controller handling; your console registration carries over conceptually (you’ll just re-register once).
- Only use Android? Stick with the original Chiaki’s Android app — chiaki-ng has no official mobile build.
download chiaki-ng (v1.10.0) ·
upstream code: original on Sourcehut, fork on GitHub
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use Chiaki or chiaki-ng in 2026?
Use chiaki-ng. The original Chiaki is in maintenance-only mode (v2.2.0, no major updates planned), while chiaki-ng is actively developed (v1.10.0) with HDR streaming, Vulkan/OpenGL renderers, native Steam Deck support, expanded controller mapping, GUI PSN login, and pinless registration — none of which will come to the original.
Is the original Chiaki dead or unsafe?
Neither. It is complete, stable, and safe to keep using — ‘maintenance mode’ means the author considers it finished, not abandoned-in-a-broken-state. You only miss out on new features, not security. Migrate to chiaki-ng when you want what the fork adds.
Can I switch from Chiaki to chiaki-ng without losing anything?
Yes. Install chiaki-ng alongside or over the original, then register your console once (pinless on your home network since v1.9.4). Your PSN Account ID is the same. Settings don’t transfer automatically, so note your bitrate/resolution preferences first.
Why does chiaki-ng have no Android app when the original does?
The chiaki-ng team focused on desktop and Steam Deck. The original Chiaki’s Android app (Google Play / F-Droid) still works fine and remains the official mobile option; there is also a community chiaki-ng Android fork. See our Android status page for the honest rundown.
Which one gets bug fixes?
Chiaki-ng. Recent v1.9.x–v1.10.0 releases fixed real session-start failures, DualSense haptic loss, macOS crashes, and PSN token issues. The original receives only maintenance-level attention.
Chiaki-ng.com is an independent, unofficial resource site. Chiaki-ng is free and open-source software (GNU AGPLv3) built by its community contributors. This site is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Sony Interactive Entertainment.