Summary
- Rumors surfaced that Microsoft partnered with the Xenia team to improve backwards compatibility for Xbox and Xbox 360 games on PC and handheld devices.
- The Xenia team has officially denied any collaboration with Microsoft, confirming that Microsoft uses its own proprietary emulation technology.
- Xbox insider Jez Corden also expressed doubts about the rumors, stating no such partnership exists currently.
Xenia Team Denies Collaboration with Microsoft on Xbox Backwards Compatibility
Recently, a rumour spread claiming that Microsoft had partnered with the Xenia emulator team to enhance the backwards compatibility of original Xbox and Xbox 360 titles on PC and new handheld devices such as the Xbox ROG Ally.
This rumour was popularised by YouTuber and leaker Extas1s, who suggested that the collaboration would bring improved performance and graphical fidelity to these older games on modern platforms.
However, the Xenia development team quickly responded to these claims via their official Discord channel.
A prominent member, known as JeBobs, clarified that the team is not affiliated with or working with Microsoft in any capacity. According to JeBobs, Microsoft has developed its own proprietary Xbox 360 emulator to support backwards compatibility on Xbox One and Xbox Series consoles, removing any need to collaborate with Xenia.
Further supporting this, Xbox insider Jez Corden of Windows Central also voiced skepticism about the rumours, emphasising that although Xbox aims to expand game availability across devices, this specific scenario involving Xenia is not happening at this time.
The Future of Xenia and Xbox Backwards Compatibility
Despite the denial of collaboration, leaker Extas1s doubled down on his claims, suggesting that Xenia developers might be under a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), which could explain their silence. Still, the Xenia team reaffirmed that their project remains a community-run open-source effort that promotes legal emulation practices without any official ties to Microsoft.
While the prospect of an enhanced Xbox backwards compatibility system expanding to PC and handheld devices remains exciting, the current evidence indicates that Microsoft continues to rely on its internal technology rather than outside emulators like Xenia.
Fans will have to wait for official announcements to see how Microsoft plans to evolve backwards compatibility in the coming years.
