diff --git a/pcsx2/CDVD/CDVDaccess.cpp b/pcsx2/CDVD/CDVDaccess.cpp
index b673cfb55f..7b4c5c28aa 100644
--- a/pcsx2/CDVD/CDVDaccess.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/CDVD/CDVDaccess.cpp
@@ -293,30 +293,29 @@ static void DetectDiskType()
 	diskTypeCached = FindDiskType(mType);
 }
 
-static wxString m_SourceFilename[3];
+static std::string m_SourceFilename[3];
 static CDVD_SourceType m_CurrentSourceType = CDVD_SourceType::NoDisc;
 
-void CDVDsys_SetFile(CDVD_SourceType srctype, const wxString& newfile)
+void CDVDsys_SetFile(CDVD_SourceType srctype, std::string newfile)
 {
-	m_SourceFilename[enum_cast(srctype)] = newfile;
+	m_SourceFilename[enum_cast(srctype)] = std::move(newfile);
 
 	// look for symbol file
 	if (symbolMap.IsEmpty())
 	{
-		wxString symName;
-		int n = newfile.Last('.');
-		if (n == wxNOT_FOUND)
-			symName = newfile + L".sym";
+		std::string symName;
+		std::string::size_type n = m_SourceFilename[enum_cast(srctype)].rfind('.');
+		if (n == std::string::npos)
+			symName = m_SourceFilename[enum_cast(srctype)] + ".sym";
 		else
-			symName = newfile.substr(0, n) + L".sym";
+			symName = m_SourceFilename[enum_cast(srctype)].substr(0, n) + ".sym";
 
-		wxCharBuffer buf = symName.ToUTF8();
-		symbolMap.LoadNocashSym(buf);
+		symbolMap.LoadNocashSym(symName.c_str());
 		symbolMap.UpdateActiveSymbols();
 	}
 }
 
-const wxString& CDVDsys_GetFile(CDVD_SourceType srctype)
+const std::string& CDVDsys_GetFile(CDVD_SourceType srctype)
 {
 	return m_SourceFilename[enum_cast(srctype)];
 }
@@ -364,10 +363,7 @@ bool DoCDVDopen()
 	//TODO_CDVD check if ISO and Disc use UTF8
 
 	auto CurrentSourceType = enum_cast(m_CurrentSourceType);
-	int ret = CDVD->open(!m_SourceFilename[CurrentSourceType].IsEmpty() ?
-							 static_cast<const char*>(m_SourceFilename[CurrentSourceType].ToUTF8()) :
-							 (char*)NULL);
-
+	int ret = CDVD->open(!m_SourceFilename[CurrentSourceType].empty() ? m_SourceFilename[CurrentSourceType].c_str() : nullptr);
 	if (ret == -1)
 		return false; // error! (handled by caller)
 
@@ -388,8 +384,8 @@ bool DoCDVDopen()
 	else if (somepick.IsEmpty())
 		somepick = L"Untitled";
 
-	if (EmuConfig.CurrentBlockdump.IsEmpty())
-		EmuConfig.CurrentBlockdump = wxGetCwd();
+	if (EmuConfig.CurrentBlockdump.empty())
+		EmuConfig.CurrentBlockdump = wxGetCwd().ToStdString();
 
 	wxString temp(Path::Combine(EmuConfig.CurrentBlockdump, somepick));
 
diff --git a/pcsx2/CDVD/CDVDaccess.h b/pcsx2/CDVD/CDVDaccess.h
index 2a73e44d19..00dd6d1939 100644
--- a/pcsx2/CDVD/CDVDaccess.h
+++ b/pcsx2/CDVD/CDVDaccess.h
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
  */
 
 #pragma once
+#include <string>
 
 typedef struct _cdvdSubQ
 {
@@ -151,8 +152,8 @@ extern CDVD_API CDVDapi_NoDisc;
 extern const wxChar* CDVD_SourceLabels[];
 
 extern void CDVDsys_ChangeSource(CDVD_SourceType type);
-extern void CDVDsys_SetFile(CDVD_SourceType srctype, const wxString& newfile);
-extern const wxString& CDVDsys_GetFile(CDVD_SourceType srctype);
+extern void CDVDsys_SetFile(CDVD_SourceType srctype, std::string newfile);
+extern const std::string& CDVDsys_GetFile(CDVD_SourceType srctype);
 extern CDVD_SourceType CDVDsys_GetSourceType();
 
 extern bool DoCDVDopen();
diff --git a/pcsx2/Config.h b/pcsx2/Config.h
index 32211a9eb6..fe23dea6b8 100644
--- a/pcsx2/Config.h
+++ b/pcsx2/Config.h
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 #include "common/General.h"
 #include "common/Path.h"
 #include <wx/filename.h>
+#include <string>
 
 class IniInterface;
 
@@ -585,16 +586,16 @@ struct Pcsx2Config
 	// Memorycard options - first 2 are default slots, last 6 are multitap 1 and 2
 	// slots (3 each)
 	McdOptions Mcd[8];
-	wxString GzipIsoIndexTemplate; // for quick-access index with gzipped ISO
+	std::string GzipIsoIndexTemplate; // for quick-access index with gzipped ISO
 
 	// Set at runtime, not loaded from config.
 	CDVD_SourceType CdvdSource;
-	wxString CurrentIso;
-	wxString CurrentDiscDrive;
-	wxString CurrentBlockdump;
-	wxString CurrentELF;
-	wxString CurrentIRX;
-	wxString CurrentGameArgs;
+	std::string CurrentIso;
+	std::string CurrentDiscDrive;
+	std::string CurrentBlockdump;
+	std::string CurrentELF;
+	std::string CurrentIRX;
+	std::string CurrentGameArgs;
 	AspectRatioType CurrentAspectRatio = AspectRatioType::R4_3;
 	LimiterModeType LimiterMode = LimiterModeType::Nominal;
 
diff --git a/pcsx2/Pcsx2Config.cpp b/pcsx2/Pcsx2Config.cpp
index cdc2db4773..67b02da613 100644
--- a/pcsx2/Pcsx2Config.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/Pcsx2Config.cpp
@@ -508,7 +508,7 @@ Pcsx2Config::Pcsx2Config()
 		Mcd[slot].Type = MemoryCardType::MemoryCard_File;
 	}
 
-	GzipIsoIndexTemplate = L"$(f).pindex.tmp";
+	GzipIsoIndexTemplate = "$(f).pindex.tmp";
 
 	CdvdSource = CDVD_SourceType::Iso;
 }
diff --git a/pcsx2/R3000AInterpreter.cpp b/pcsx2/R3000AInterpreter.cpp
index 9bd43c3060..b15ca2b0c5 100644
--- a/pcsx2/R3000AInterpreter.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/R3000AInterpreter.cpp
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ static __fi void execI()
 #endif
 
 	// Inject IRX hack
-	if (psxRegs.pc == 0x1630 && EmuConfig.CurrentIRX.Length() > 3) {
+	if (psxRegs.pc == 0x1630 && EmuConfig.CurrentIRX.length() > 3) {
 		if (iopMemRead32(0x20018) == 0x1F) {
 			// FIXME do I need to increase the module count (0x1F -> 0x20)
 			iopMemWrite32(0x20094, 0xbffc0000);
diff --git a/pcsx2/Recording/InputRecording.cpp b/pcsx2/Recording/InputRecording.cpp
index dcd310a6f5..05326e3eb7 100644
--- a/pcsx2/Recording/InputRecording.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/Recording/InputRecording.cpp
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ void InputRecording::SetupInitialState(u32 newStartingFrame)
 	else
 	{
 		// Check if the current game matches with the one used to make the original recording
-		if (!EmuConfig.CurrentIso.IsEmpty())
+		if (!EmuConfig.CurrentIso.empty())
 			if (resolveGameName() != inputRecordingData.GetHeader().gameName)
 				inputRec::consoleLog("Input recording was possibly constructed for a different game.");
 
diff --git a/pcsx2/gui/AppConfig.cpp b/pcsx2/gui/AppConfig.cpp
index 003cad2a7e..c304530bc0 100644
--- a/pcsx2/gui/AppConfig.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/gui/AppConfig.cpp
@@ -671,7 +671,7 @@ void AppConfig::FolderOptions::LoadSave( IniInterface& ini )
 			operator[]( (FoldersEnum_t)i ).Normalize();
 
 		EmuConfig.Folders.Settings = GetSettingsFolder();
-		EmuConfig.CurrentDiscDrive = RunDisc;
+		EmuConfig.CurrentDiscDrive = RunDisc.ToStdString();
 		EmuConfig.Folders.Bios = Bios;
 		EmuConfig.Folders.Snapshots = Snapshots;
 		EmuConfig.Folders.Savestates = Savestates;
diff --git a/pcsx2/gui/AppMain.cpp b/pcsx2/gui/AppMain.cpp
index 80e43213b6..bf5898c8a8 100644
--- a/pcsx2/gui/AppMain.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/gui/AppMain.cpp
@@ -969,7 +969,7 @@ protected:
 	bool				m_UseCDVDsrc;
 	bool				m_UseELFOverride;
 	CDVD_SourceType		m_cdvdsrc_type;
-	wxString			m_elf_override;
+	std::string			m_elf_override;
 
 public:
 	virtual ~SysExecEvent_Execute() = default;
@@ -992,11 +992,11 @@ public:
 	{
 	}
 
-	SysExecEvent_Execute( CDVD_SourceType srctype, const wxString& elf_override )
+	SysExecEvent_Execute( CDVD_SourceType srctype, std::string elf_override )
 		: m_UseCDVDsrc(true)
 		, m_UseELFOverride(true)
 		, m_cdvdsrc_type(srctype)
-		, m_elf_override( elf_override )
+		, m_elf_override( std::move(elf_override) )
 	{
 	}
 
@@ -1039,7 +1039,7 @@ void Pcsx2App::SysExecute()
 // sources.
 void Pcsx2App::SysExecute( CDVD_SourceType cdvdsrc, const wxString& elf_override )
 {
-	SysExecutorThread.PostEvent( new SysExecEvent_Execute(cdvdsrc, elf_override) );
+	SysExecutorThread.PostEvent( new SysExecEvent_Execute(cdvdsrc, elf_override.ToStdString()) );
 #ifndef DISABLE_RECORDING
 	if (g_Conf->EmuOptions.EnableRecordingTools)
 	{
diff --git a/pcsx2/gui/MainMenuClicks.cpp b/pcsx2/gui/MainMenuClicks.cpp
index b33106218c..a5fd88a3c7 100644
--- a/pcsx2/gui/MainMenuClicks.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/gui/MainMenuClicks.cpp
@@ -454,7 +454,7 @@ void MainEmuFrame::_DoBootCdvd()
 
 	if (EmuConfig.CdvdSource == CDVD_SourceType::Iso)
 	{
-		bool selector = EmuConfig.CurrentIso.IsEmpty();
+		bool selector = EmuConfig.CurrentIso.empty();
 
 		if (!selector && !wxFileExists(EmuConfig.CurrentIso))
 		{
diff --git a/pcsx2/ps2/BiosTools.cpp b/pcsx2/ps2/BiosTools.cpp
index da78662025..851963c964 100644
--- a/pcsx2/ps2/BiosTools.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/ps2/BiosTools.cpp
@@ -221,14 +221,14 @@ static void LoadExtraRom( const wxChar* ext, u8 (&dest)[_size] )
 	}
 }
 
-static void LoadIrx( const wxString& filename, u8* dest )
+static void LoadIrx( const std::string& filename, u8* dest )
 {
 	s64 filesize = 0;
 	try
 	{
 		wxFile irx(filename);
 		if( (filesize=Path::GetFileSize( filename ) ) <= 0 ) {
-			Console.Warning(L"IRX Warning: %s could not be read", WX_STR(filename));
+			Console.Warning("IRX Warning: %s could not be read", filename.c_str());
 			return;
 		}
 
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ static void LoadIrx( const wxString& filename, u8* dest )
 	}
 	catch (Exception::BadStream& ex)
 	{
-		Console.Warning(L"IRX Warning: %s could not be read", WX_STR(filename));
+		Console.Warning("IRX Warning: %s could not be read", filename.c_str());
 		Console.Indent().WriteLn(L"Details: %s", WX_STR(ex.FormatDiagnosticMessage()));
 	}
 }
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ void LoadBIOS()
 		LoadExtraRom( L"rom2", eeMem->ROM2 );
 		LoadExtraRom( L"erom", eeMem->EROM );
 
-		if (EmuConfig.CurrentIRX.Length() > 3)
+		if (EmuConfig.CurrentIRX.length() > 3)
 			LoadIrx(EmuConfig.CurrentIRX, &eeMem->ROM[0x3C0000]);
 
 		CurrentBiosInformation.threadListAddr = 0;
diff --git a/pcsx2/x86/iR3000A.cpp b/pcsx2/x86/iR3000A.cpp
index f60373ea95..298be705a1 100644
--- a/pcsx2/x86/iR3000A.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/x86/iR3000A.cpp
@@ -1300,7 +1300,7 @@ static void __fastcall iopRecRecompile(const u32 startpc)
 	u32 willbranch3 = 0;
 
 	// Inject IRX hack
-	if (startpc == 0x1630 && EmuConfig.CurrentIRX.Length() > 3)
+	if (startpc == 0x1630 && EmuConfig.CurrentIRX.length() > 3)
 	{
 		if (iopMemRead32(0x20018) == 0x1F)
 		{