Playing PlayStation 5 games on an Xbox Series X is now possible, at least in an experimental setup. Developer Devran Cosmo Uenal has demonstrated PS5 games running on Microsoft’s console using an emulator called PS5X.
In a YouTube demonstration, Uenal ran the PS5 version of Quake II on an Xbox Series X using an Xbox controller. The experiment uses PS5X, an Xbox adaptation of the open-source KytyPS5 emulator.
While the demonstration shows that PlayStation software can work on Xbox hardware, it does not mean players can start installing PS5 games on their consoles.
How to Run PS5 Games on Xbox Series X
PS5X works through the Xbox Series X’s official Developer Mode rather than its regular gaming environment.
To recreate Uenal’s demonstration, users would need access to Developer Mode, a working PS5X build and compatible, legally obtained game files.
Developer Mode also comes with restrictions. Microsoft limits games running in this environment to 5GB of memory, compared with approximately 13.5GB available to regular Xbox Series X games.
This considerably reduces the emulator’s ability to handle demanding PS5 titles.
Which PS5 Games Work on Xbox Series X?
So far, four PS5 games have been demonstrated running through PS5X:
- Quake II
- GEX Trilogy
- Hellboy: Web of Wyrd
- Marvel Cosmic Invasion
All four support Xbox controller inputs, although audio functionality varies.
According to TweakTown’s assessment of Uenal’s footage, Quake II runs at an estimated 25 to 45 frames per second.
None of the demonstrated titles is exclusive to PlayStation 5, meaning the emulator has yet to show that it can bring PS5-exclusive games to Xbox.
How Does the PS5X Emulator Work?
The experiment is possible partly because the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X share similar hardware.
Both consoles use AMD Zen 2 processors, RDNA 2 graphics and 16GB of GDDR6 memory. Their shared x86-64 architecture allows compatible game instructions to run without fully recreating the PS5’s hardware.
PS5X uses KytyPS5 to translate PlayStation software instructions, but adapting its graphics processing for Xbox presents another challenge.
KytyPS5 uses Vulkan on PC, while Xbox Developer Mode supports DirectX 11 and DirectX 12. Uenal therefore has to translate graphics operations into a format supported by Microsoft’s console.
This also means improvements made to the PC emulator require additional work before they can function on Xbox.
Can Xbox Series X Run PlayStation-Exclusive Games?
Not yet, based on the demonstrations reported so far.
PC-based PS5 emulation has shown some progress. A separate demonstration reportedly brought Marvel’s Wolverine to its main menu on a computer equipped with an NVIDIA RTX 5090, although it ran slowly and did not show gameplay.
The console’s Developer Mode memory restriction remains a major obstacle, particularly for larger games. Microsoft also prohibits emulators in the Xbox’s normal retail environment under policies introduced in 2023.
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