Updated
Updated · Wccftech · Jul 24
Dataminers Find XeO3 Xbox 360 Emulator in 4 Windows 11 Xbox Games
Updated
Updated · Wccftech · Jul 24

Dataminers Find XeO3 Xbox 360 Emulator in 4 Windows 11 Xbox Games

3 articles · Updated · Wccftech · Jul 24

Summary

  • Four original Xbox games released in Microsoft's Windows 11 backward-compatibility preview contain XeO3, an Xbox 360 emulator dataminers say is repackaged from Xbox One and Series systems.
  • Security researcher Milenko said the binaries emulate the 360's Xenon CPU, hypervisor and Xenos GPU on Direct3D, creating a nested setup in which 360 emulation then runs original Xbox software.
  • XWine1 developers went further by wiring XeO3 into their PC compatibility layer, getting additional original Xbox titles and at least one Xbox 360 game—Plants vs. Zombies—to run.
  • That makes future official PC support for Xbox 360 games look increasingly likely as Microsoft expands the early-access program, which launched July 22 with four titles and plans to add achievements.

Insights

Can Xbox's official program outperform the quality and game selection of long-standing fan emulation projects?
Amidst a 'hardware crisis,' can monetizing old games on PC truly reset Xbox's future and challenge platforms like Steam?