diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/CMakeLists.txt b/Source/Core/Core/CMakeLists.txt
index de8fd8ac93..03c87e6db3 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ add_library(core
   SyncIdentifier.h
   SysConf.cpp
   SysConf.h
+  System.cpp
+  System.h
   TitleDatabase.cpp
   TitleDatabase.h
   WiiRoot.cpp
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/Core.vcxproj b/Source/Core/Core/Core.vcxproj
index a7ada5b18e..f672f088d1 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/Core.vcxproj
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/Core.vcxproj
@@ -371,6 +371,7 @@
     <ClCompile Include="PowerPC\SignatureDB\SignatureDB.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="State.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="SysConf.cpp" />
+    <ClCompile Include="System.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="TitleDatabase.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="WiiRoot.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="WiiUtils.cpp" />
@@ -678,6 +679,7 @@
     <ClInclude Include="State.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="SyncIdentifier.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="SysConf.h" />
+    <ClInclude Include="System.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="Titles.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="TitleDatabase.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="WiiRoot.h" />
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/Core.vcxproj.filters b/Source/Core/Core/Core.vcxproj.filters
index 749b81b9c2..ae2205c989 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/Core.vcxproj.filters
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/Core.vcxproj.filters
@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@
     <ClCompile Include="PatchEngine.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="State.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="SysConf.cpp" />
+    <ClCompile Include="System.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="TitleDatabase.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="WiiRoot.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="WiiUtils.cpp" />
@@ -1022,6 +1023,7 @@
     <ClInclude Include="PatchEngine.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="State.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="SysConf.h" />
+    <ClInclude Include="System.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="Titles.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="TitleDatabase.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="WiiRoot.h" />
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/System.cpp b/Source/Core/Core/System.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7bc1b50c62
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/System.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+// Copyright 2020 Dolphin Emulator Project
+// Licensed under GPLv2+
+// Refer to the license.txt file included.
+
+#include "Core/System.h"
+
+namespace Core
+{
+struct System::Impl
+{
+};
+
+System::System() : m_impl{std::make_unique<Impl>()}
+{
+}
+
+System::~System() = default;
+}  // namespace Core
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/System.h b/Source/Core/Core/System.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..82b2c8af54
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/System.h
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+// Copyright 2020 Dolphin Emulator Project
+// Licensed under GPLv2+
+// Refer to the license.txt file included.
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include <memory>
+
+namespace Core
+{
+// Central class that encapsulates the running system.
+class System
+{
+public:
+  ~System();
+
+  System(const System&) = delete;
+  System& operator=(const System&) = delete;
+
+  System(System&&) = delete;
+  System& operator=(System&&) = delete;
+
+  // Intermediate instance accessor until global state is eliminated.
+  static System& GetInstance()
+  {
+    static System instance;
+    return instance;
+  }
+
+private:
+  System();
+
+  struct Impl;
+  std::unique_ptr<Impl> m_impl;
+};
+}  // namespace Core