Windows 98 installed on Xbox Series X via RetroArch: runs classic titles including Quake and Turok

In a recent Digital Foundry article, Alex Battaglia described a way to get Microsoft's venerable Windows 98 operating system up and running on Xbox Series X hardware.

This was made possible thanks to  the DOSBox Pure RetroArch core receiving an update that allows for Windows 98 emulation. It is a bit of a hassle to install RetroArch on the Xbox Series X, but following Battaglia's process, you will end up with a full Windows 98 installation and emulated 3D graphics support. 

The setup is far from perfect, however: mouse emulation on the right analog stick is not particularly accurate. And from a performance perspective, the DOSBox Pure setup gives you an emulated Pentium CPU, along with 3DFx Voodoo graphics. Because the graphics card is emulated on the Series X's CPU, performance is less than optimal: games like Unreal struggle to reach 20 FPS, even at 800 x 600. 

While Windows 98 on the Series X is definitely a work in progress, it's fascinating to see Series X transformed into a retro PC of sorts, opening the door to 90s PC gaming on console. 

Check out the Xbox Series X, here on Amazon.