Developers get PS5 software running on Xbox Series X through new emulator port

The Xbox Series X has been made to run PlayStation 5 game builds through an experimental emulator. Developer Devran Cosmo Uenal has ported KytyPS5 to Microsoft’s console in a project dubbed PS5X, running the emulator through Xbox Developer Mode. Only four titles appear to be operational: GEX Trilogy, Hellboy: Web of Wyrd, Marvel Cosmic Invasion and Quake II. All four recognise input from an Xbox controller, and audio already works in at least some of the titles.

However, we only get to see Quake II (the original from back in the day) in action, and its performance is sub-par, to say the least. Footage shows the game generally hovering at roughly 25 to 45 FPS, although it can fall below 20 FPS in some scenes. Input latency is also noticeable, so PS5X is nowhere near a polished way to play PS5 software. Nevertheless, it is a massive step in the right direction for cross-platform compatibility, although there’s a good chance of the whole thing getting shut down by Sony at some point.

Furthermore, none of the games demonstrated so far are PS5 exclusives, and it may be a while before they fire up on PC, let alone an Xbox Series X. For starters, the Xbox does not have native Vulkan support. PS5X therefore has to translate the emulator’s graphics path to DirectX, so improvements to the PC renderer don't carry over unchanged.

PS5 emulation on PC has nevertheless been advancing quickly. Recent KytyPS5 builds have progressed from relatively simple games to rendering more demanding commercial software, including Grand Theft Auto V, while the project has also demonstrated several other 3D PS5 releases running in-game. 

KytyPS5 itself remains an early-stage open-source PS5 emulator. Its developers currently describe compatibility as limited, although the project can boot 2D titles and a selection of 3D games built using Unreal Engine, Unity and custom engines. The project prioritises compatibility and boot reliability over perfect graphics or high frame rates.

Uenal describes it as a research project intended for PS5 homebrew and legally obtained game backups, and the build does not include Sony firmware or decryption keys. The developer also acknowledges that AI tools were involved in the work.