In a YouTube video posted on September 8, developer Devran Cosmo Uenal demonstrated the PlayStation 5 version of Quake II running on an Xbox Series X while he used an Xbox controller. The game was executed through PS5X, Uenal’s Xbox adaptation of the open‑source PS5 emulator KytyPS5, and he has since added three additional PS5 titles to the roster. While the achievement of getting PS5 games to launch on an Xbox is impressive, it comes with a major limitation: PS5X only operates in the console’s official Developer Mode, which Microsoft restricts to a maximum of 5 GB of memory per game. This constraint excludes most current‑generation titles, and there is no public download available for other users at this time.
How PS5X Works
Both Sony’s and Microsoft’s latest consoles share similar AMD hardware: eight Zen 2 CPU cores, RDNA 2 graphics, and 16 GB of GDDR6 memory. PS5 games are compiled for the x86‑64 architecture, the same one used by PCs. Because of this, the KytyPS5 emulator can run the game code directly on the host CPU instead of recreating the PS5’s hardware in software. Its developer describes it as a compatibility layer that functions more like a translator, converting PS5 instructions into something a PC can process. KytyPS5 translates the console’s graphics commands and recompiles shaders for Vulkan, which means a Vulkan 1.3‑compatible graphics card is required on a PC. Xbox Developer Mode, however, only supports DirectX 11 and DirectX 12. In the video description, Uenal explained, “Since Vulkan isn’t supported, everything needs to be translated to DirectX,” and noted that artificial intelligence was used in the translation work. As VideoCardz pointed out, any improvements the KytyPS5 team makes to its PC renderer must first be adapted for DirectX before PS5X can benefit from them.
Uenal describes PS5X as a “research project” aimed at “running PS5 homebrew and game backups” on a Series X while in Developer Mode. He emphasizes that the project does not contain any PS5 firmware or decryption keys, and KytyPS5’s documentation advises users to use only legally obtained game files. Issues with copy‑protection have previously led to the shutdown of the Switch emulator Yuzu after its developers settled a lawsuit with Nintendo in 2024.
Current Compatibility
At the time of writing, PS5X can launch the PS5 versions of the GEX Trilogy, Hellboy: Web of Wyrd, Marvel Cosmic Invasion, and Quake II, and all four support Xbox controller input. Some titles have functional audio, and TweakTown estimates that Quake II runs at roughly 25 to 45 frames per second in Uenal’s footage. None of these games are exclusive to the PS5, and Uenal admits that compatibility is still very limited.
Android Authority reported on September 28 that KytyPS5 is now reaching in‑game states in several PS5 titles on PC, with one user showing Marvel’s Wolverine reaching its main menu in slow motion on a system equipped with an NVIDIA RTX 5090. The clip did not display actual gameplay, and it is unclear whether the standard emulator build was used.
Memory Limits in Developer Mode
Microsoft caps memory usage for apps in Developer Mode at 5 GB, with a separate 1 GB limit for other applications. Requests that exceed these allocations fail. By contrast, a retail Xbox Series X game can access about 13.5 GB of the console’s 16 GB, the remainder being reserved for the operating system. Consequently, PS5X must operate with roughly 37 percent of the memory available to a typical Xbox game, making it unsuitable for larger current‑gen releases. Microsoft only lifts this restriction when software runs under the Visual Studio debugger, a setup intended for developers testing their own code. In 2023, Microsoft blocked emulators entirely in normal retail mode, citing a store policy that prohibits products that emulate other gaming systems. The company later relaxed enforcement, issuing 15‑day suspensions to users who found work‑arounds. Since then, players wishing to run emulators for older systems such as the PS2 or GameCube have had to rely on Developer Mode, which cannot load retail games until the console is switched back.
Outlook
Although the Xbox Series X shares the same Zen 2 CPU and RDNA 2 graphics as the PS5, and PS5X can theoretically use less than a third of the console’s memory, the 5 GB cap remains a decisive barrier. Without a jailbreak or a change to Microsoft’s policy, Xbox owners will not be able to benefit from the rapid progress being made in PS5 emulation on PC. PS5X is an intriguing technical curiosity, but it is unlikely to become a practical solution for most gamers.
Caution is advised for anyone interested in trying PS5X or similar projects, as scammers have begun distributing malware under names that resemble legitimate emulators, such as “PCS5X.”