diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index ca5fb6699d..69a3d41d84 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -11,13 +11,17 @@ if(NOT CMAKE_SIZEOF_VOID_P EQUAL 8)
 	message( FATAL_ERROR "RPCS3 can only be compiled on 64-bit platforms." )
 endif()
 
+add_definitions(-DCMAKE_BUILD)
+
 # We use libpng's static library and don't need to build the shared library and run the tests
 set(PNG_SHARED OFF CACHE BOOL "Build shared lib." FORCE)
 set(PNG_TESTS  OFF CACHE BOOL "Build tests." FORCE)
 
-add_definitions(-DCMAKE_BUILD)
+# Select the version of libpng to use, default is builtin
+if (NOT USE_SYSTEM_LIBPNG)
+	add_subdirectory( 3rdparty/libpng )
+endif()
 
-add_subdirectory( 3rdparty/libpng )
 # TODO: do real installation, including copying directory structure
 set(CMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY_RELEASE "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/bin")
 set(CMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY_DEBUG "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/bin")
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index dbc731c05a..31ad8aa416 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -48,5 +48,13 @@ If you want to build with LLVM, then LLVM 3.8 is required.
 If you are on OSX and want to build with llvm don't forget to add `-DLLVM_DIR=...` (or wherever llvm brew was installed) to cmake invocation.
 When using GDB, configure it to ignore SIGSEGV signal (`handle SIGSEGV nostop noprint`).
 
+##### CMake Build Options (Linux & Mac OSX)
+
+- ```-DUSE_SYSTEM_LIBPNG=ON/OFF``` (default = *OFF*) </br>
+Build against the shared libpng instead of using the builtin one. libpng 1.6+ highly recommended. Try this option if you get version conflict errors or only see black game icons.
+
+- ```-DUSE_SYSTEM_FFMPEG=ON/OFF``` (default = *OFF*) </br>
+Build against the shared ffmpeg libraries instead of using the builtin patched version. Try this if the builtin version breaks the OpenGL renderer for you.
+
 ### Support
 * [Donate by PayPal](https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=MPJ3S9XQXCE3G)
diff --git a/rpcs3/CMakeLists.txt b/rpcs3/CMakeLists.txt
index 0929157806..3709188e36 100644
--- a/rpcs3/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/rpcs3/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -105,6 +105,26 @@ else()
 	set(PLATFORM_ARCH "linux/x86_64")
 endif()
 
+# Select the version of libpng to use, default is builtin
+if(USE_SYSTEM_LIBPNG)
+	message("-- RPCS3: using shared libpng")
+	find_package(PNG REQUIRED)
+	include_directories("${PNG_INCLUDE_DIRS}")
+else()
+	message("-- RPCS3: using builtin libpng")
+	include_directories("${RPCS3_SRC_DIR}/../3rdparty/libpng")
+endif()
+
+# Select the version of ffmpeg to use, default is builtin
+if(USE_SYSTEM_FFMPEG)
+	message("-- RPCS3: using shared ffmpeg")
+	find_package(FFMPEG REQUIRED)
+	include_directories("${FFMPEG_INCLUDE_DIR}")
+else()
+	message("-- RPCS3: using builtin ffmpeg")
+	include_directories("${RPCS3_SRC_DIR}/../3rdparty/ffmpeg/${PLATFORM_ARCH}/include")
+endif()
+
 include_directories(
 ${GLEW_INCLUDE_DIR}
 ${wxWidgets_INCLUDE_DIRS}
@@ -112,14 +132,12 @@ ${ZLIB_INCLUDE_DIR}
 ${OPENAL_INCLUDE_DIR}
 ${LLVM_INCLUDE_DIRS}
 "${RPCS3_SRC_DIR}/../3rdparty/pugixml/src"
-"${RPCS3_SRC_DIR}/../3rdparty/ffmpeg/${PLATFORM_ARCH}/include"
 "${RPCS3_SRC_DIR}"
 "${RPCS3_SRC_DIR}/Loader"
 "${RPCS3_SRC_DIR}/Crypto"
 "${RPCS3_SRC_DIR}/.."
 "${RPCS3_SRC_DIR}/../Utilities/yaml-cpp/include"
 "${RPCS3_SRC_DIR}/../asmjit/src/asmjit"
-"${RPCS3_SRC_DIR}/../3rdparty/libpng"
 "${RPCS3_SRC_DIR}/../3rdparty/GSL/include"
 "${RPCS3_SRC_DIR}/../rsx_program_decompiler/rsx_decompiler"
 "${RPCS3_SRC_DIR}/../rsx_program_decompiler/shader_code"
@@ -155,8 +173,10 @@ link_directories(
 "${RPCS3_SRC_DIR}/../3rdparty/minidx12/"
 )
 
-if(MSVC OR NOT WIN32)
-	link_directories("${RPCS3_SRC_DIR}/../3rdparty/ffmpeg/${PLATFORM_ARCH}/lib")
+if(NOT USE_SYSTEM_FFMPEG)
+	if(MSVC OR NOT WIN32)
+		link_directories("${RPCS3_SRC_DIR}/../3rdparty/ffmpeg/${PLATFORM_ARCH}/lib")
+	endif()
 endif()
 
 get_property(dirs DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR} PROPERTY INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES)
@@ -201,7 +221,18 @@ if(WIN32)
 	target_link_libraries(rpcs3  avformat.lib avcodec.lib avutil.lib swresample.lib swscale.lib png16_static ${wxWidgets_LIBRARIES} ${OPENAL_LIBRARY} ${ADDITIONAL_LIBS})
 else()
 	target_link_libraries(rpcs3  ${wxWidgets_LIBRARIES} ${OPENAL_LIBRARY} ${GLEW_LIBRARY} ${OPENGL_LIBRARIES})
-	target_link_libraries(rpcs3  libavformat.a libavcodec.a libavutil.a libswresample.a libswscale.a -ldl png16_static ${ZLIB_LIBRARIES} ${ADDITIONAL_LIBS})
+	target_link_libraries(rpcs3  ${ZLIB_LIBRARIES} ${ADDITIONAL_LIBS})
+	if (USE_SYSTEM_FFMPEG)
+		link_libraries(${FFMPEG_LIBRARY_DIR})
+		target_link_libraries(rpcs3  libavformat.so libavcodec.so libavutil.so libswresample.so libswscale.so)
+	else()
+		target_link_libraries(rpcs3  libavformat.a libavcodec.a libavutil.a libswresample.a libswscale.a -ldl)
+	endif()
+	if (USE_SYSTEM_LIBPNG)
+		target_link_libraries(rpcs3  ${PNG_LIBRARIES})
+	else()
+		target_link_libraries(rpcs3  png16_static)
+	endif()
 	if (NOT APPLE)
 		target_link_libraries(rpcs3  vulkan glslang OSDependent OGLCompiler SPIRV)
 	endif()
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/cellPngDec.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/cellPngDec.cpp
index 31aa99ba5a..2a40efa27d 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/cellPngDec.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/cellPngDec.cpp
@@ -7,6 +7,18 @@
 #include "png.h"
 #include "cellPngDec.h"
 
+#if PNG_LIBPNG_VER_MAJOR >= 1 && (PNG_LIBPNG_VER_MINOR < 5 \
+|| (PNG_LIBPNG_VER_MINOR == 5 && PNG_LIBPNG_VER_RELEASE < 7))
+#define PNG_ERROR_ACTION_NONE 1
+#define PNG_RGB_TO_GRAY_DEFAULT (-1)
+#endif
+
+#if PNG_LIBPNG_VER_MAJOR >= 1 && PNG_LIBPNG_VER_MINOR >= 5
+typedef png_bytep iCCP_profile_type;
+#else
+typedef png_charp iCCP_profile_type;
+#endif
+
 logs::channel cellPngDec("cellPngDec", logs::level::notice);
 
 // cellPngDec aliases to improve readability
@@ -128,8 +140,8 @@ be_t<u32> pngDecGetChunkInformation(PStream stream, bool IDAT = false)
 	s32 compression_type;
 	s32 unit;
 	u16* hist;
-	u32 proflen;
-	png_bytep profile;
+	png_uint_32 proflen;
+	iCCP_profile_type profile;
 	png_bytep trans_alpha;
 	png_charp units;
 	png_charp name;
@@ -209,7 +221,7 @@ be_t<u32> pngDecGetChunkInformation(PStream stream, bool IDAT = false)
 		chunk_information |= 1 << 11; // sRGB
 	}
 
-	if (png_get_iCCP(stream->png_ptr, stream->info_ptr, &name, &compression_type, &profile, &proflen))
+	if (png_get_iCCP(stream->png_ptr, stream->info_ptr, &name, &compression_type, &profile, (png_uint_32*)&proflen))
 	{
 		chunk_information |= 1 << 12; // iCCP
 	}