Xbox Backward Compatibility on PC is running an Xbox 360 emulator, dataminers confirm

Just days after Microsoft launched its Xbox Backward Compatibility on PC initiative, dataminers have already cracked open the emulator — and what they found suggests Xbox 360 support is coming sooner rather than later. The emulator isn't just handling original Xbox games; it's a full Xbox 360 emulator under the hood.

Dataminer Lunarixus first posted the discovery on X, noting that the emulator runs Xefu — the same emulator Xbox 360 hardware used internally to play original Xbox games. That means it's effectively an emulator inside an emulator. Shortly after, the team behind the Xbox One translation layer project XWine1 went further and successfully ran both original Xbox and Xbox 360 ROMs through Microsoft's official emulator, though with varying degrees of success. Microsoft has so far only released four original Xbox titles through the service, but the architecture clearly isn't limited to that generation.

None of this is entirely shocking — most people assumed Xbox 360 support was the logical next step when Microsoft announced the PC backward compatibility push. What makes it more interesting is what it could mean for games that have been stuck on Xbox 360 hardware with no re-release in sight. Titles like Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon have never officially made it to PC or modern platforms, and Fable 2 remains one of the most-requested games that still hasn't escaped its original console release.

For now, Microsoft hasn't said anything officially about Xbox 360 backward compatibility on PC, but the dataminer findings make it hard to imagine that announcement is far off. The community reaction has been enthusiastic, with players already speculating about which Xbox 360 classics they want to see unlocked first.