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[Demon2blades]

Price to pay for Nintendo signing that 10 year deal I suppose ... Jk

 

[adamsapple]

The day they do this to dev mode, I riot.

 

[Fredrik]

The day they do this to dev mode, I riot.

Do you actually use it? I tried but restarting the console to swap mode was too annoying for me. Iirc there was a system resources limit too which made games run worse.
The only cool thing was that you could get your own Unity games running on the console.

 

[ShadyAcshuns]

So many delicious criminal tears.

 

[Deft Beck]

Emulators are legal so there is nothing that can be done there. But no console manufacturer wants another PSP situation where people only buy it for the sake of homebrew.

At least we don't have to hack the Xbox to get them.

 

[Henry Panic]

Wait, I thought dev mode was still a thing?

 

[adamsapple]

Do you actually use it? I tried but restarting the console to swap mode was too annoying for me. Iirc there was a system resources limit too which made games run worse.
The only cool thing was that you could get your own Unity games running on the console.

I was happily using the retail emulators, XBSX2 was getting a lot of usage. But at least the dev mode is a guaranteed fallback for emulation. I haven't paid the $20 to unlock it yet but at least I know it's there.

Wait, I thought dev mode was still a thing?

Yes, that hasn't gone anywhere. This is just for being able to run emulators in retail mode via UWP apps from the MS store. Emulation was working on retail mode as well.

 

[Esppiral]

If someone takes their console offline upon hearing this news provided they haven't booted it up since the emulators being disabled would it still work?

Yes they work.

 

[reinking]

But at least the dev mode is a guaranteed fallback for emulation.

...but is it? You said yourself that "the day they do it to dev mode..." We know they have the ability to remove it due to their previous mistake. I would not buy an Xbox (or any retail console) for emulation. Nice perk but there are other reliable options for emulation if that is what I am looking for.

 

[adamsapple]

...but is it? You said yourself that "the day they do it to dev mode..." We know they have the ability to remove it due to their previous mistake. I would not buy an Xbox (or any retail console) for emulation. Nice perk but there are other reliable options for emulation if that is what I am looking for.

Nothing is guaranteed lol, I meant guaranteed to work as of now.

 

[onnextflix5]

Fuck ms,Steam deck home console, can’t come soon enough.

 

[Soltype]

C'mon now, its not shady at all. As much as I am disappointed that I can't play pirated games on my Xbox (lets be honest, none of us are playing legal backups). Microsoft is 100% right, since these emulators were released by a loophole. They simply said they don't support that way of distribution on their storefront.

I really doubt they'll remove the Dev mode version, so its still an option.

To deactivate a program that I already downloaded is shady, I can't even imagine the shitstorm they'd have if people had bought some of this stuff. I understand delisting but to straight up stop something from function that was already there, dirty pool.

 

[Klosshufvud]

To deactivate a program that I already downloaded is shady, I can't even imagine the shitstorm they'd have if people had bought some of this stuff. I understand delisting but to straight up stop something from function that was already there, dirty pool.

It's so weird. John from DF had his Xbox set to off. Before booting up the console, he removed the ethernet cord and yet his apps still got disabled. He was extremely bummed out about it in the latest DF episode and you can tell he's sort of just giving up on these new consoles now.

 

[El Muerto]

Emulating in devmode is still fine. At least we dont have to keep our consoles offline and risk getting a ban using cfw like on PS and the Switch for running emulators. However I did find it much simpler to buy a USFF pc on ebay for around $60. I use it as a htpc, installed kodi with the IAGL addon and retroarch. I can browse for roms in Kodi, and have them launch in retroarch. No more scanning roms. I can play up to ps2 and gamecube up to 2x resolution.

 

[Saber]

Yes they work.

I dunno a thing about how this console works, but I think John Linneman from Digital Foundry said in direct that his console is off with internet and it still rendered the emulator useless.

 

[DenchDeckard]

Just buy a steam deck! or whatever else.

Still a major shame though, good that MS let it fly for so long but this is a bummer.

 

[Fredrik]

It's so weird. John from DF had his Xbox set to off. Before booting up the console, he removed the ethernet cord and yet his apps still got disabled. He was extremely bummed out about it in the latest DF episode and you can tell he's sort of just giving up on these new consoles now.

Yeah I’m the same, this is the type of move that leads to consequences for me, they removed something I truly enjoyed and used and simply made the console a lot less useful now. Could’ve kept it functional, nobody got hurt, it’s just used by a small group of fans of old games nobody else seem to care about.

 

[Esppiral]

I dunno a thing about how this console works, but I think John Linneman from Digital Foundry said in direct that his console is off with internet and it still rendered the emulator useless.

Then his console connected to the internet, mine is offline and the emulators are still working, all of them.

 

[DaGwaphics]

I'm not surprised this happened. I love emulation but there's a pretty grey area where the roms are concerned. Anyways at least we will always have PC and retroemulation systems.

This. You knew it wouldn't last for ever. Not on a device built around a store that is filled with software produced by the same companies that could be having their IP stolen via emulation. It just doesn't work.

Windows/Linux/Android are really the spaces where this has to live, just because there is no centralized authority over the apps that can run on those platforms (Android via side loading).

 

[Trab-Pu-Kcip]

Nintendo has nothing to do with that?

 

[Hoddi]

Who cares what the reason is? They shut it down and that’s all there is to it.

The thing that makes me mad is that other apps like Kodi/VLC already support both legitimate and illegimitate video files. There’s no crackdown on those despite both apps supporting questionable content so why turn on the emulators?

I can literally build an emulator station with a $50 RBPi. I already have one driving an old tube TV and it’s way better than anything that these Xbox consoles supported. Using the Xbox was purely out of convenience and not because it was actually better at the thing.

 

[Sorcerer]

I remember even in retail mode, there were certain commands within Retroarch that would it in put retail mode in dev mode. I could no longer access the dashboard, could not use Spotify, etc. I had to uninstall and reinstall to get back to retail mode.

Also, it probably was a request from Nintendo to shut it down, but I think Microsoft has always been friendly with Nintendo and they are not going to throw them under the bus. Microsoft seemed patient with this, so the request is probably the final blow to retail emulation. If there is a next console, I'm sure dev mode will not have access to emulation either (If there even is a dev mode for the consumer). But I guess Microsoft doesn't want to piss customers that paid $20 bucks just for the purpose of emulation. Not a feature of the new console, Sorry!!!

 

[Team Andromeda]

I just keep my Series S in development mode, while I use the Series X to play the main games

 

[Corndog]

Really?

That’s not an emulator.

 

[Team Andromeda]

It's so weird. John from DF had his Xbox set to off. Before booting up the console, he removed the ethernet cord and yet his apps still got disabled. He was extremely bummed out about it in the latest DF episode and you can tell he's sort of just giving up on these new consoles now.

I just find John is shit stirring myself. You don't own Retroarch because you don't buy it or pay for it and if one cares about emu so much despite apparently owning all the old consoles and having them set up to a CRT

Just buy a Series S and have it permanently set to development mode, while gaming on the Series X.

 

[Rykan]

To deactivate a program that I already downloaded is shady, I can't even imagine the shitstorm they'd have if people had bought some of this stuff. I understand delisting but to straight up stop something from function that was already there, dirty pool.

How can you call this shady? I understand that you're disappointed that this functionality no longer works, but let's just be real here.

We all know what you were using these emulators for: To play games that you've, more likely than not, downloaded illegally to play on your Xbox. It's not what the system was designed for or intended to do. You don't get ownership rights just because you've managed to download something for free before it was removed.

Besides, I'm pretty sure they've been cracking down on emulators that were added to the store as soon as they've found them. They've never been all that okay with it.

 

[RobRSG]

Really?

It is a licensed product where you don’t need to source your ROMs and Bioses. It is not so hard to understand the reasoning here… Is it?

 

[Fredrik]

Just buy a Series S and have it permanently set to development mode, while gaming on the Series X.

Why buy a Series S if you’re just going to use it for emulation?

There are limitations for system and storage and older emu builds. Just buy a small PC or a Raspberry Pi or some other device you actually have full control over if you’re going to swap to another device when playing old games.

What was appealing here was using Series X for new modern retail games and have old favorites playable on the same box, swapping from Forza Horizon 5 to Super Metroid literally took seconds, could even use the default Xbox UI features with Share button for screens/videos etc.

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

Of course it’s not because of Nintendo. Has Nintendo blocked Dolphin on Steam? When that happens I’ll believe it was Nintendo’s fault for the Xbox emulator crackdown. Nintendo was always against ROM sites and some heavily publicized mods of their biggest games, not against emulators per se.

 

[Soltype]

How can you call this shady? I understand that you're disappointed that this functionality no longer works, but let's just be real here.

We all know what you were using these emulators for: To play games that you've, more likely than not, downloaded illegally to play on your Xbox. It's not what the system was designed for or intended to do. You don't get ownership rights just because you've managed to download something for free before it was removed.

Besides, I'm pretty sure they've been cracking down on emulators that were added to the store as soon as they've found them. They've never been all that okay with it.

I understand what you're saying, but it shady to deactivate something that is locally stored on a device.In practice this could be applied to games as well, it's bad precedent.

 

[THE DUCK]

The only problem I have with this is them deactivating something that was already acquired.Some real shady stuff.

Let's not go overboard, it's not like you paid hundreds of dollars for an app to suddenly have ot all shut down, you have a grey area app that probably never should have been allowed in retail mode to begin with.

 

[THE DUCK]

I feel you. I bought Series S as means to play Mario Kart and Tekken Tag with friends. Now...gone. I have no use for this console anymore. It was the perfect retro box. So much potential wasted.

Why can't you just do it in dev mode?

 

[THE DUCK]

This is why consoles suck. They can pull the rug out from under you at any time. Their so called policy isn't even consistent since a lot of those official game collections from other consoles run an emulator. The assumption that you are doing something illegal is fucked from a customer service perspective.

Go buy a pc then. Always knew the risks and there is still dev mode, really nothing to complain about here.

 

[Klosshufvud]

Why can't you just do it in dev mode?

Dev mode is a hassle and nothing prevents MS doing the same there too. It's all just borrowed time.

 

[THE DUCK]

I already have dev mode, needs to restart the console if you want to play a new game, becomes annoying fast.

Why are they doing this now though? Could’ve just kept looking the other way like they do on PC.

There is so much I hate about how retro gaming is handled by the big 3. I already have 3 consoles to play new games. Am I supposed to have 10+ other consoles plugged in to play old games too just because I still like the games that came before this shitty generation started?

There is literally no convenient all in one solution unless you’re on PC. Maybe I should build a secondary $5k PC just for the living room? I bet Nvidia would be happy at least.

Confused by this, how does a secondary pc cost $5000? You could spend a grand and load the right software and it has literally everything there for you........
Of course you must own all the games for it to be legal, If u don't, you could just go in and remove all the ones you don't own.
Very slick though.

 

[Three]

The thing that makes me mad is that other apps like Kodi/VLC already support both legitimate and illegimitate video files. There’s no crackdown on those despite both apps supporting questionable content so why turn on the emulators?

Preparing for more "Goldeneye like releases"? Wouldn't want you using your roms now would we.

 

[Fredrik]

Confused by this, how does a secondary pc cost $5000? You could spend a grand and load the right software and it has literally everything there for you........
Of course you must own all the games for it to be legal, If u don't, you could just go in and remove all the ones you don't own.
Very slick though.

It’s about swapping out the Xbox for a PC to get that device that play both new and old games in the living room. Would mean PC versions on all new games and then I ”need” a high spec rig for 4K and good performance. Slight exaggeration on price though, I could go lower than a 4090, don’t need a screen and unless I swap out the TV later I only need to max out at 60fps since my current TV can’t go higher than 60hz in 4K. But I live in Sweden where inflation is rampant so would probably end up at like $3k anyway.

 

[THE DUCK]

It’s about swapping out the Xbox for a PC to get that device that play both new and old games in the living room. Would mean PC versions on all new games and then I ”need” a high spec rig for 4K and good performance. Slight exaggeration on price though, I could go lower than a 4090, don’t need a screen and unless I swap out the TV later I only need to max out at 60fps since my current TV can’t go higher than 60hz in 4K. But I live in Sweden where inflation is rampant so would probably end up at like $3k anyway.

Depends on what you are trying to emulate.....if you are doing mostly older games and small form factor PC for $600 or so would do the trick and be less headache, and take up very little room in the living room. The nice part is with the right software, you can have it autoboot right into the emulators with a fantastic controller interface, this is one big benefit of leaving a dedicated pc for emulation alone and still keeping an xbox X.
If your moving into emulating stuff like switch in 4k, then you might as well switch over to beefier PC.

 

[Team Andromeda]

Why buy a Series S if you’re just going to use it for emulation?

There are limitations for system and storage and older emu builds. Just buy a small PC or a Raspberry Pi or some other device you actually have full control over if you’re going to swap to another device when playing old games.

What was appealing here was using Series X for new modern retail games and have old favorites playable on the same box, swapping from Forza Horizon 5 to Super Metroid literally took seconds, could even use the default Xbox UI features with Share button for screens/videos, etc.

It's such a small console I can take it almost anywhere, like when we go awayb. I just have it set up in the bedroom mainly now to play Emu. While in the main games room, I have the Series X for gaming and the PC is really feel the need for enu

 

[Fredrik]

Depends on what you are trying to emulate.....if you are doing mostly older games and small form factor PC for $600 or so would do the trick and be less headache, and take up very little room in the living room. The nice part is with the right software, you can have it autoboot right into the emulators with a fantastic controller interface, this is one big benefit of leaving a dedicated pc for emulation alone and still keeping an xbox X.
If your moving into emulating stuff like switch in 4k, then you might as well switch over to beefier PC.

The Xbox Series X with retail mode Retroarch used to do it all so that’s what I want and why I’m cranky when it’s gone.

So I’m thinking I could get rid of the Xbox and have a PC for both old and new games instead, as in one device that can play old 8-bit games and new Forza Motorsport 8, preferrably in Ultra with RT. Then $600 won’t get you far.
I’ve used lots of different dedicated emulation devices in the past, it’s cool too but a whole other thing.

 

[THE DUCK]

The Xbox Series X with retail mode Retroarch used to do it all so that’s what I want and why I’m cranky when it’s gone.

So I’m thinking I could get rid of the Xbox and have a PC for both old and new games instead, as in one device that can play old 8-bit games and new Forza Motorsport 8, preferrably in Ultra with RT. Then $600 won’t get you far.
I’ve used lots of different dedicated emulation devices in the past, it’s cool too but a whole other thing.

Well this might work out well, if you do end up building a pc you get all the xbox games plus more and more sony exclusives lately.
Plus upscaled switch games.
Also keep in mind if you do build an emulator package, you can always have it on an external drive too and still dual boot just by plugging the external drive.

 

[Klosshufvud]

I have a proper gaming PC but it's just not as convenient and intuitive to hook up to the TV as a Series S was. And given this economy and the price you could get a Series S for...it really was a dream box for emulation. I feel like it absolutely covered a segment other platforms don't. I may set up dev mode later on but the way some have been talking about it, I don't feel that motivated as of yet.

 

[KloetenQuetsche]

Summary of this crackdown...

...pay 20 Dollars once and all is good.

Come on guys, create Dev Accounts!

 

[Fredrik]

Summary of this crackdown...

...pay 20 Dollars once and all is good.

Come on guys, create Dev Accounts!

With retail mode it took like 5 seconds to swap from a new to an old game. With dev mode it takes like 5 minutes. Dev mode also means that emulators can’t get access to all system resources, don’t remember the details but saw early talks that some emulators and games needed retail mode to run smoothly.

 

[Roberts]

I hope this is the beginning of MS actually working with emulator people to release official emulators for everybody to use.

Also in the news: I'm officially too dumb to use dev mode so present situation sucks for me.

 

[Fredrik]

I hope this is the beginning of MS actually working with emulator people to release official emulators for everybody to use.

Seems unlikely going by what they said to IGN

Our actions are based on a long standing policy on content distributed to the Store to ensure alignment with our Microsoft Store Polices [sic]. Per 10.13.10, Products that emulate a game system or game platform are not allowed on any device family."

 

[Soltype]

Let's not go overboard, it's not like you paid hundreds of dollars for an app to suddenly have ot all shut down, you have a grey area app that probably never should have been allowed in retail mode to begin with.

I agree, I'm saying it's bad precedent

 

[DeepEnigma]

 

[justiceiro]

Oh Microsoft, didn't you have heard of the tale of the PS3 Linux distro that was removed, which led to the console being hacked to get the functionality back? You just made the interest on hacking your console go through the roof.

 

[coffinbirth]

With retail mode it took like 5 seconds to swap from a new to an old game. With dev mode it takes like 5 minutes. Dev mode also means that emulators can’t get access to all system resources, don’t remember the details but saw early talks that some emulators and games needed retail mode to run smoothly.

That is old info, dev mode has performance parity with retail as far as these emulators go.

Retail access was never going to be permanent, and dev mode isn't meant to be switched back and forth. It is what it is.

I have a proper gaming PC but it's just not as convenient and intuitive to hook up to the TV as a Series S was. And given this economy and the price you could get a Series S for...it really was a dream box for emulation. I feel like it absolutely covered a segment other platforms don't. I may set up dev mode later on but the way some have been talking about it, I don't feel that motivated as of yet.

Just set it up in dev mode and leave it there, no biggie if you're not playing retail games on it. Sure, the GUI is not as slick as retail, but that's beside the point...which is using your Series S as a powerful emulation machine.