Xbox Series X can now run Nintendo Switch games, thanks to emulation

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The Xbox Series X has found another unexpected party trick, and this time, Nintendo is an unlikely guest. Nintendo Switch games are now running on Microsoft’s console through an experimental emulator that uses Xbox Developer Mode.

Nintendo Switch emulation comes to Xbox, with a few caveats

Nintendo Switch emulation on Xbox is no longer just a pipe dream, with early footage showing Super Mario Odyssey, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, and Metroid Prime Beyond booting on Microsoft’s console. The project appears to use Eden, a community-driven Switch emulator, adapted to run through Xbox Developer Mode, which allows compatible apps to operate outside the console’s standard retail environment.

The speed at which this has materialised is particularly interesting. The emulator is rumored to be using a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) port to bring existing emulation work to Xbox, letting developers build on what’s already out there rather than reinventing the wheel. However, the exact development process behind this implementation remains unclear, so that connection is still speculation rather than confirmed fact.

Of course, getting a game to boot is one thing; playing it without glitches, stutters, or crashes is another boss fight entirely. The footage doesn’t establish consistent frame rates, broad compatibility across the Switch library, or stability over longer sessions. For now, this is an intriguing early experiment rather than a plug-and-play Nintendo library on Xbox, but it’s a promising glimpse of what community-driven emulation can achieve.

Xbox is becoming an interesting playground for emulation

This development follows other experiments involving emulation on modern consoles, including recent efforts to run PlayStation software on Xbox hardware. Separate open-source projects are also exploring Switch emulation on Xbox, with developers working on graphics translation and performance improvements. That makes this an exciting development for enthusiasts, but the projects shouldn’t be treated as interchangeable, and their results don’t necessarily reflect the performance of the emulator shown in the latest footage.

It’s worth noting that emulation itself isn’t automatically illegal, although copyright, game ownership, and the source of firmware or game files matter. For now, Xbox owners shouldn’t expect a plug-and-play Nintendo library. Still, the idea of one console running games designed for a rival platform is a fun reminder that hardware can have a second life beyond what its manufacturers officially intended.

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Varun Mirchandani Varun is an experienced technology journalist and editor with over eight years in consumer tech media. His work spans…

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