Official Xbox console emulation for Windows may be in the works, according to a new rumor from a longtime Microsoft insider. Though such a solution could bring a variety of classic Xbox games to PC, it may not arrive in the form of a typical emulator—assuming it arrives at all.
The claim originates from Windows Central’s Jez Corden, who has a solid track record with Microsoft-related scoops. In recent times, he was the first to report on the existence of a first-party Xbox handheld months before Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer confirmed it in late 2024. The device is said to have eventually been scrapped in favor of a partnership with ASUS, which led to the recent release of the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X handhelds.
Xbox Console Emulation for Windows Possibly Coming in 2026
As part of a recent discussion on The Xbox Two Podcast Discord server, Corden said that the ROG Xbox Ally line may soon be expanded with the ability to play classic Xbox console games. According to his sources, “there’s work being done” on a Windows emulator capable of running “some” Xbox titles. The technology could be commercialized as early as 2026, Corden suggested.
The insider specifically mentioned backward compatibility with Xbox 360 games as an example of a use case that Microsoft’s rumored tech could support. However, that’s not to say the tech would necessarily be offered in the form of a typical emulator that can run any title for its target platform, primarily because every supported game would need to be relicensed. Corden acknowledged as much by saying Microsoft would have to pursue publisher partnerships to get over this legal hurdle.
The rumored emulation solution is thus more likely to be implemented as a wrapper for individual console games or as a system similar to the Nintendo Switch Online apps, which are tied to a curated library of periodically updated titles. Even such a limited platform could meaningfully expand the selection of games compatible with handheld PCs. Currently, devices like the ROG Xbox Ally do not support any form of official emulation, though users can access some console purchases via the Xbox Play Anywhere program. In those cases, they are not actually emulating console games but instead using their console licenses to play PC ports.
For over a year now, Microsoft has been signaling that it sees the future of gaming as platform-agnostic. Delivering an official way to emulate old Xbox console exclusives on modern PCs—handheld or otherwise—would align with this philosophy.
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