First PS5 games run on Xbox Series X through experimental emulator
The first PlayStation 5 game builds have been demonstrated running on Xbox Series X via an experimental emulator. Developer Devran Cosmo Uenal has ported the KytyPS5 emulator to Microsoft’s hardware, resulting in a version called PS5X that operates through Developer Mode.
Technical capabilities and current progress
The project is currently in its early research stages. The following titles have been successfully demonstrated: GEX Trilogy, Hellboy: Web of Wyrd, Marvel Cosmic Invasion, and Quake II. All four titles support Xbox controller input, and some have functional audio support. Quake II provides the most significant demonstration so far, with footage showing the game running at approximately 25 to 45 FPS.
It is important to note that these are not native ports; rather, they are PS5 software builds being executed through emulation on Xbox Series X hardware. The developer describes PS5X as a research project aimed at running PS5 homebrew and game backups directly on Microsoft's console.
The graphics translation challenge
A major technical hurdle involves the graphics backend. While the PC version of KytyPS5 utilizes the "Vulkan" API, Xbox Series X lacks native Vulkan support. Consequently, PS5X must translate graphics calls to DirectX. This requirement means that improvements made to the PC-based emulator cannot be directly applied to the Xbox version without significant additional development work, which currently limits overall compatibility.
While the project shows progress—following recent advancements in PS5 emulation on PC that allow running demanding titles like Demon’s Souls or GTA V—the PS5X build remains far from being able to handle modern PlayStation 5 exclusives.
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