The Xbox Series X/S consoles rule the roost when it comes to backwards compatibility, but we didn’t expect to see Sony PS2 games running on the new systems.
However, the unlikely marriage of the Microsoft and Sony systems comes, of course, through an unofficial mod and uses emulation software to play PS2-era games on the next-gen Xbox Series S.
The discovery was made by YouTuber Modern Vintage Gamer, who used the developer mode built into each of the Xbox Series S. Once there, the gamer was able to run Universal Windows Platform apps.
Related: Best Xbox Series X Games
What’s available as a Universal Windows Platform app? Emulators like RetroArch, of course. The YouTuber used a new version of the software with PCSX2 integration, which offers PlayStation 2 emulation for Windows, Linux and Mac.
This meant certain games, like God of War, Jack and Daxter and Metal Gear Solid 2 are playable on the console, albeit via a little inadvisable elbow grease. As you can see below (via Slashgear), the results are pretty impressive and are likely to get better over time as the PCSX2 integration in RetroArch improves over time.
Naturally, this isn’t something we’d recommend at all. If it went wrong, we can’t see Microsoft viewing efforts to play 20 year old PS2 games as a valid reason for an exchange. Secondly, it seems like the tinkerer had a particularly difficult time making this compatibility happen and even then things are buggy. However, the crux of the matter, as MVG points out, is a Microsoft console is now capable of emulating a Sony console for the first time.
If you’re seeking some easy and probably safer retro gaming on your new system, Microsoft has gone to great lengths to point out that over 1,000 games from all previous Xbox generations are available on the Series X/S at launch.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
