x360-native

An open research platform for running Xbox 360 software through static PowerPC recompilation.

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Experimental software. Windows x64 is the only platform with end-to-end evidence, results depend on the exact dashboard and game version, and no game is certified as fully functional. Version 1.28.32 is the current release on the stable channel; stable names the release channel, not a compatibility claim.

See it running

Original Dashboard 17559 · Home	Dashboard 17559 · Games tab
Castle Crashers · main menu	Forza Horizon · open road with HUD
Forza Horizon 2 · title screen (Generic AOT)	Minecraft · tutorial world (Generic AOT)

_{Real captures from local test sessions, 13–27 October 2026, with the default Xenos D3D12 backend. The Games tab capture uses the experimental Native D3D12 backend. They show states that were reached, not certified gameplay or performance. Game and dashboard imagery belongs to its respective owners.}

What is x360-native?

x360-native analyzes the original PowerPC code before launch, generates C++ and compiles it into a native PC executable. No JIT or instruction interpreter runs in the main path. A compatibility runtime, built on ReXGlue, still recreates the console services and translates Xenos graphics work to the host GPU. Compiling a game does not make it playable.

The original Xbox 360 dashboard is a target in its own right: boot, navigation, My Games, launching a prepared game and returning to the dashboard are tracked as compatibility flows. The desktop app imports and prepares your local content; it does not replace the dashboard.

Current status

Primary configuration: Windows x64 with the Xenos D3D12 backend. Release 1.28.32 also ships packages for Windows ARM64, Linux x64 (including Steam Deck), Linux ARM64 and macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel), each built and checked on a matching GitHub-hosted runner. A package is not runtime evidence: no dashboard or game flow has been demonstrated on those targets.

Target	Reached	Not yet certified
Dashboard 17559 (Metro)	Original intro and audio, navigation, My Games, local profiles, Guide, game launch and return	Several system services and settings are partial; one local user in slot 0
Castle Crashers	Launch from 17559, menu, input, rendering, return to the dashboard	Campaign, entitlement, save/load
Forza Horizon	Driving with input and audio, Guide/Xbox Home return to 17559	Campaign, save/load
Minecraft	Trial tutorial, movement and block breaking (Generic AOT)	Save/reload, sustained play
Forza Horizon 2	Initial drive with HUD, minimap and input (Generic AOT)	Campaign, save/reload, sustained play
Motocross Madness	Tutorial movement and objectives	Full My Games/profile/Guide flow, races, save/load
Charlie Murder	AOT preparation and My Games routing; reached NetCF bootstrap	XNA initialization, rendering, gameplay
Dashboard 6717 (Blades)	Builds; historical navigation	Matching font/resource missing; diagnostic only
Native D3D12 / Vulkan	Experimental execution and synthetic GPU contracts	Gameplay performance; Xenos results do not transfer

No listed game is certified as Playable or Fully Functional. The compatibility matrix has the evidence and limits per title and version, and STATUS.md the dated log.

What the compatibility labels mean

Label	Meaning
Identified / Imported	Content was recognized or added to the local library.
Compiled	A native build completed. The program may still fail at launch.
Boots	The original program started; nothing more is implied.
Renders	A visual scene was observed. Input, audio, progression and persistence may be missing.
In-game	Some gameplay was reached. This does not imply sustained playability.
Playable	Sustained gameplay and progression were validated, including input and persistence. No game has this yet.
Fully Functional	All relevant end-to-end flows are verified. No game or dashboard is claimed fully functional.

Download

Download x360-native 1.28.32 · release notes

System	Architecture	Package
Windows	x64	x360-native-1.28.32-windows-x64.zip
Windows	ARM64	x360-native-1.28.32-windows-arm64.zip
Linux / Steam Deck	x64	x360-native-1.28.32-linux-x64.tar.gz
Linux	ARM64	x360-native-1.28.32-linux-arm64.tar.gz
macOS	Apple Silicon / ARM64	x360-native-1.28.32-macos-arm64.zip
macOS	Intel / x64	x360-native-1.28.32-macos-x64.zip

1. Download the archive for your system and its .sha256 file from the Release page (not GitHub's "Source code" archive).
2. Extract the whole archive into an empty folder and start the launcher: x360-native.exe on Windows, ./x360-native on Linux (X11 or Wayland) and on macOS (from Terminal; the package is not notarized). Keep the data/ folder next to it: it holds your library, preparations and settings.
3. Import the dashboard files and games you are authorized to use. The app identifies them and reports what is missing or unsupported.
4. Prepare the dashboard and the games you want to try. Pinned tools are downloaded with your consent and the code is compiled locally; some Microsoft C++ build components may need their official installer.
5. Start the original dashboard, open My Games and launch a prepared game.

On Windows the installation folder can be deep and use Unicode names (checked at 337 characters, 363 bytes); a network share or a file system without junctions can import but not prepare titles.

The package contains no Xbox content. Imported or prepared does not mean a game will run, and first use on a clean Windows install is not yet verified. More in the preparation guide.

Updating: the launcher checks the public GitHub Releases list and offers newer stable versions, keeping profiles, saves and imported content. To update by hand, back up data/ and extract into a new folder rather than over an active installation. Prepared titles may need to be prepared again when the SDK or runtime changes.

How it works

1. Bring your own files. Inputs are identified by SHA-256 and matched to a dashboard or title profile.
2. Recompile ahead of time. PowerPC code becomes C++ and then a native build.
3. Run with the compatibility runtime. Kernel/XAM services, storage, input and audio are reimplemented; Xenos commands and shaders are translated to the host GPU. The original Microsoft kernel and firmware are not booted.
4. Validate the real flow for each dashboard version and game build.

More: architecture and decisions · universal library · content layout

Roadmap

Goals, not promises:

• Dependable first-time installation and preparation on a clean Windows system.
• More original dashboard versions, each with its own matching resources and evidence.
• Better profiles, Guide, XAM services and real game save/load.
• More titles through generic AOT improvements.
• Linux, macOS and ARM64 as separate targets with their own end-to-end validation.

Progress lives in the functional checklist.

FAQ

Does "native" mean no emulation?

No. The game's PowerPC code is compiled ahead of time, but console services and the Xenos graphics pipeline still need compatible implementations; GPU commands and shaders are translated for the host.

Can I play every Xbox 360 game?

No. Importing, identifying or compiling a game does not mean it boots or is playable. Check the exact title and version in the compatibility matrix.

Can I use any dashboard files I find?

No. Use legally obtained files, and keep each dashboard's original modules with its matching version profile. A component from another version may be incompatible even when its filename or exports match.

Does it support Linux, macOS or ARM?

Release 1.28.32 has packages for Windows ARM64, Linux x64/ARM64 and macOS ARM64/x64, but current end-to-end evidence is for Windows x64 only. A package that builds and passes its checks on another platform does not establish runtime support there, and Steam Deck gameplay is not certified.

Are saves, Xbox Live, multiplayer and peripherals supported?

Local profile and storage flows are implemented in part, but commercial game save/load is not certified. Xbox Live, online multiplayer and special peripherals are out of scope.

Why does a title stop after compiling?

It may depend on a missing PowerPC function, an unimplemented XAM/kernel export, an unsupported resource or runtime behavior not yet reproduced. These failures stay visible instead of being treated as compatibility.

Does the project distribute Xbox software?

No. Never submit games, dashboards, XEX files, fonts, firmware, saves, proprietary assets or code generated from proprietary binaries.

Contributing

Documentation, reproducible bug reports, synthetic tests, compatibility evidence and focused fixes are welcome. Read CONTRIBUTING.md first. When reporting a compatibility issue, include the exact content version/hash, project revision, platform, steps and sanitized logs, never proprietary content or personal data. Use Conventional Commits (docs(readme): clarify compatibility status). Security reports follow SECURITY.md.

Documentation

Start here	What it covers
Project status	Current evidence, recent changes and known limits
Compatibility matrix	Per-dashboard and per-game results
Architecture	Static recompilation, runtime boundaries and process model
Dashboard	Original interface, modules, profiles and launch/return evidence
Build guide	Developer prerequisites and local build workflow
Performance	Measurement policy and roadmap
Documentation index	All engineering documents and reports

License

Project code is licensed under BSD-3-Clause. Dependencies keep their own licenses; see third-party notices and the license audit. x360-native is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by Microsoft. Xbox names and marks belong to their owners. Recompilation does not grant rights to redistribute original software or assets.

Thanks to the ReXGlue project and its contributors, and to the Xenia work on which ReXGlue's compatibility runtime is based.