This could let the Redmond tech giant make currently Xbox-only games easily playable on PC—and there are plenty of exclusives across the first three generations.

Pre-orders for the Xbox ROG Ally handheld PCs sold out quickly, showing clear demand. Still, the new line has faced criticism for its high price and its inability to natively play the entire Xbox library. According to reliable insider Jez Corden, Microsoft is aware of the dilemma and is reportedly working on a fix: official emulation tech for the new devices, targeted for release next year.

On the XB2 Discord server, Corden said Microsoft is developing an emulator to run Xbox 360 and other console titles on handheld PCs—and very likely on desktops, too. Due to various complications, only a subset of games would be supported; for instance, studios would need to approve their titles for licensing reasons. Corden also claimed that major AAA games (e.g., Hogwarts Legacy) will soon join Xbox Play Anywhere, making them playable on Asus devices.

A job listing posted earlier this year by Jason Ronald, VP of Xbox Next Gen, further supports the emulation claims. However, Microsoft has not officially confirmed anything. Corden also mentioned a future Xbox PC OEM device in development that runs Windows but won’t be fully backward compatible, alongside reports of more Xbox hardware planned over the next few years.

Corden couched much of this in conditional terms, so treat the details with caution—especially given weak Xbox Series sales and reports that Microsoft’s in-house handheld project was canceled (the Xbox ROG Ally is an Asus product).

Source: Tech4Gamers