diff --git a/Utilities/GNU.h b/Utilities/GNU.h
index a36085a745..fd8a3117b1 100644
--- a/Utilities/GNU.h
+++ b/Utilities/GNU.h
@@ -31,10 +31,10 @@
 #define force_inline __attribute__((always_inline))
 #endif
 
-#if defined(_MSC_VER)
-#define set_alignment(x) _CRT_ALIGN(x)
-#else
-#define set_alignment(x) __attribute__((aligned(x)))
+#if defined(_MSC_VER) && _MSC_VER <= 1800
+#define alignas(x) _CRT_ALIGN(x)
+#elif defined(__GNUG__)
+#define ALIGN(x) __attribute__((aligned(x))) // not used
 #endif
 
 #if defined(__GNUG__)
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/ARMv7/Modules/sceFiber.h b/rpcs3/Emu/ARMv7/Modules/sceFiber.h
index 5ad7a5251c..11e40b0476 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/ARMv7/Modules/sceFiber.h
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/ARMv7/Modules/sceFiber.h
@@ -2,21 +2,21 @@
 
 using SceFiberEntry = void(u32 argOnInitialize, u32 argOnRun);
 
-struct set_alignment(8) SceFiber
+struct alignas(8) SceFiber
 {
 	le_t<u64> padding[16];
 };
 
 CHECK_SIZE_ALIGN(SceFiber, 128, 8);
 
-struct set_alignment(8) SceFiberOptParam
+struct alignas(8) SceFiberOptParam
 {
 	le_t<u64> padding[16];
 };
 
 CHECK_SIZE_ALIGN(SceFiberOptParam, 128, 8);
 
-struct set_alignment(8) SceFiberInfo
+struct alignas(8) SceFiberInfo
 {
 	vm::lptr<SceFiberEntry> entry;
 	le_t<u32> argOnInitialize;
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/SysCalls/Modules/cellAdec.h b/rpcs3/Emu/SysCalls/Modules/cellAdec.h
index f6e72ed086..97ef2c834d 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/SysCalls/Modules/cellAdec.h
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/SysCalls/Modules/cellAdec.h
@@ -551,7 +551,7 @@ struct CellAdecParamM4Aac
 };
 
 // MPEG4 AAC BSI
-struct set_alignment(16) CellAdecM4AacInfo
+struct alignas(16) CellAdecM4AacInfo
 {
 	be_t<u32> samplingFreq; // [Hz]
 	be_t<u32> numberOfChannels;
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/SysCalls/Modules/cellAtrac.h b/rpcs3/Emu/SysCalls/Modules/cellAtrac.h
index 3df525aaa5..53a5058d5d 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/SysCalls/Modules/cellAtrac.h
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/SysCalls/Modules/cellAtrac.h
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ enum : s32
 	CELL_ATRAC_LOOP_STREAM_DATA_IS_ON_MEMORY    = -3,
 };
 
-struct set_alignment(8) CellAtracHandle
+struct alignas(8) CellAtracHandle
 {
 	vm::ptr<u8> pucWorkMem;
 	// ...
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/SysCalls/Modules/cellAtracMulti.h b/rpcs3/Emu/SysCalls/Modules/cellAtracMulti.h
index 1577e98fc6..a3bf5a04d5 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/SysCalls/Modules/cellAtracMulti.h
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/SysCalls/Modules/cellAtracMulti.h
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ enum : s32
 	CELL_ATRACMULTI_LOOP_STREAM_DATA_IS_ON_MEMORY    = -3,
 };
 
-struct set_alignment(8) CellAtracMultiHandle
+struct alignas(8) CellAtracMultiHandle
 {
 	vm::ptr<u8> pucWorkMem;
 	// ...
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/SysCalls/Modules/cellSpurs.h b/rpcs3/Emu/SysCalls/Modules/cellSpurs.h
index 168bbedd5c..a987efede0 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/SysCalls/Modules/cellSpurs.h
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/SysCalls/Modules/cellSpurs.h
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ enum SpursEventFlagConstants
 	CELL_SPURS_EVENT_FLAG_INVALID_SPU_PORT = 0xFF,
 };
 
-struct set_alignment(16) CellSpursWorkloadFlag
+struct alignas(16) CellSpursWorkloadFlag
 {
 	be_t<u64> unused0;
 	be_t<u32> unused1;
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ struct CellSpursInfo
 
 CHECK_SIZE(CellSpursInfo, 280);
 
-struct set_alignment(8) CellSpursAttribute
+struct alignas(8) CellSpursAttribute
 {
 	be_t<u32> revision;    // 0x0
 	be_t<u32> sdkVersion;  // 0x4
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ CHECK_SIZE_ALIGN(CellSpursAttribute, 512, 8);
 
 using CellSpursShutdownCompletionEventHook = void(vm::ptr<CellSpurs> spurs, u32 wid, vm::ptr<void> arg);
 
-struct set_alignment(16) CellSpursTraceInfo
+struct alignas(16) CellSpursTraceInfo
 {
 	be_t<u32> spuThread[8];     // 0x00
 	be_t<u32> count[8];         // 0x20
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ struct CellSpursTraceStartData
 	be_t<u16> ls;
 };
 
-struct set_alignment(16) CellSpursTracePacket
+struct alignas(16) CellSpursTracePacket
 {
 	CellSpursTraceHeader header;
 
@@ -411,7 +411,7 @@ struct set_alignment(16) CellSpursTracePacket
 CHECK_SIZE_ALIGN(CellSpursTracePacket, 16, 16);
 
 // Core CellSpurs structures
-struct set_alignment(128) CellSpurs
+struct alignas(128) CellSpurs
 {
 	struct _sub_str1
 	{
@@ -609,7 +609,7 @@ struct CellSpursWorkloadAttribute
 
 CHECK_SIZE_ALIGN(CellSpursWorkloadAttribute, 512, 8);
 
-struct set_alignment(128) CellSpursEventFlag
+struct alignas(128) CellSpursEventFlag
 {
 	struct ControlSyncVar
 	{
@@ -657,14 +657,14 @@ union CellSpursTaskLsPattern
 	be_t<u64> _u64[2];
 };
 
-struct set_alignment(16) CellSpursTaskAttribute
+struct alignas(16) CellSpursTaskAttribute
 {
 	u8 reserved[256];
 };
 
 CHECK_SIZE_ALIGN(CellSpursTaskAttribute, 256, 16);
 
-struct set_alignment(16) CellSpursTaskAttribute2
+struct alignas(16) CellSpursTaskAttribute2
 {
 	be_t<u32> revision;
 	be_t<u32> sizeContext;
@@ -680,7 +680,7 @@ CHECK_SIZE_ALIGN(CellSpursTaskAttribute2, 256, 16);
 // Exception handler
 using CellSpursTasksetExceptionEventHandler = void(vm::ptr<CellSpurs> spurs, vm::ptr<CellSpursTaskset> taskset, u32 idTask, vm::cptr<CellSpursExceptionInfo> info, vm::ptr<void> arg);
 
-struct set_alignment(128) CellSpursTaskExitCode
+struct alignas(128) CellSpursTaskExitCode
 {
 	u8 skip[128];
 };
@@ -719,7 +719,7 @@ struct CellSpursTasksetInfo
 
 CHECK_SIZE(CellSpursTasksetInfo, 9360);
 
-struct set_alignment(8) CellSpursTasksetAttribute
+struct alignas(8) CellSpursTasksetAttribute
 {
 	be_t<u32> revision;             // 0x00
 	be_t<u32> sdk_version;          // 0x04
@@ -734,7 +734,7 @@ struct set_alignment(8) CellSpursTasksetAttribute
 
 CHECK_SIZE_ALIGN(CellSpursTasksetAttribute, 512, 8);
 
-struct set_alignment(128) CellSpursTaskset
+struct alignas(128) CellSpursTaskset
 {
 	struct TaskInfo
 	{
@@ -772,7 +772,7 @@ struct set_alignment(128) CellSpursTaskset
 
 CHECK_SIZE_ALIGN(CellSpursTaskset, 128 * 50, 128);
 
-struct set_alignment(128) CellSpursTaskset2
+struct alignas(128) CellSpursTaskset2
 {
 	struct TaskInfo
 	{
@@ -812,12 +812,12 @@ struct set_alignment(128) CellSpursTaskset2
 
 CHECK_SIZE_ALIGN(CellSpursTaskset2, 128 * 82, 128);
 
-struct set_alignment(16) CellSpursTaskNameBuffer
+struct alignas(16) CellSpursTaskNameBuffer
 {
 	char taskName[CELL_SPURS_MAX_TASK][CELL_SPURS_MAX_TASK_NAME_LENGTH];
 };
 
-struct set_alignment(8) CellSpursTasksetAttribute2
+struct alignas(8) CellSpursTasksetAttribute2
 {
 	be_t<u32> revision;                                 // 0x00
 	vm::bcptr<char> name;                               // 0x04
@@ -831,7 +831,7 @@ struct set_alignment(8) CellSpursTasksetAttribute2
 
 CHECK_SIZE_ALIGN(CellSpursTasksetAttribute2, 512, 8);
 
-struct set_alignment(16) CellSpursTaskBinInfo
+struct alignas(16) CellSpursTaskBinInfo
 {
 	be_t<u64> eaElf;
 	be_t<u32> sizeContext;
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/SysCalls/Modules/cellSync.h b/rpcs3/Emu/SysCalls/Modules/cellSync.h
index 7ab0117d7d..d3f6d06cde 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/SysCalls/Modules/cellSync.h
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/SysCalls/Modules/cellSync.h
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ enum
 	CELL_SYNC_ERROR_NO_SPU_CONTEXT_STORAGE = 0x80410114, // ???
 };
 
-struct set_alignment(4) sync_mutex_t // CellSyncMutex sync var
+struct alignas(4) sync_mutex_t // CellSyncMutex sync var
 {
 	be_t<u16> rel;
 	be_t<u16> acq;
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ using CellSyncMutex = atomic_be_t<sync_mutex_t>;
 
 CHECK_SIZE_ALIGN(CellSyncMutex, 4, 4);
 
-struct set_alignment(4) sync_barrier_t // CellSyncBarrier sync var
+struct alignas(4) sync_barrier_t // CellSyncBarrier sync var
 {
 	be_t<s16> value;
 	be_t<u16> count;
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ struct sync_rwm_t // CellSyncRwm sync var
 	}
 };
 
-struct set_alignment(16) CellSyncRwm
+struct alignas(16) CellSyncRwm
 {
 	atomic_be_t<sync_rwm_t> ctrl; // sync var
 
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ struct sync_queue_t // CellSyncQueue sync var
 	}
 };
 
-struct set_alignment(32) CellSyncQueue
+struct alignas(32) CellSyncQueue
 {
 	atomic_be_t<sync_queue_t> ctrl;
 
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ enum CellSyncQueueDirection : u32 // CellSyncLFQueueDirection
 	CELL_SYNC_QUEUE_ANY2ANY = 3, // SPU/PPU to SPU/PPU
 };
 
-struct set_alignment(128) CellSyncLFQueue
+struct alignas(128) CellSyncLFQueue
 {
 	struct pop1_t
 	{