Why Microsoft Banned Emulation On Xbox: The Tech Giant's Response

In a decision that has sparked controversy and backlash from the retro gaming community, Microsoft MSFT has disabled classic game emulation on its Xbox Series X/S. The move comes after users discovered they could easily install emulators capable of playing classic games from consoles like Sony's SONY PlayStation 2 and Nintendo's NTDOY GameCube on the console.

Amid the rumors surrounding the sudden change, Microsoft has pointed to a longstanding official store policy as the reason behind the move.

“We continually evolve our mechanisms for reviewing and taking enforcement actions on content distributed to the Store to ensure alignment with our Microsoft Store Policies. Per 10.13.10, Products that emulate a game system or game platform are not allowed on any device family,” a Microsoft spokesperson told Kotaku, according to a Friday story. 

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The company denied one widespread rumor that had Nintendo as responsible for the ban, with many speculating the Japanese gaming giant had demanded action be taken over its copyrighted games being played on Xbox consoles without permission.

"The information currently circulating on Twitter is not accurate. Our actions are based on a long-standing policy on content distributed to the Store," Microsoft told IGN.

The Background: At launch in 2020, the Xbox Series X/S stood out from its competitors by allowing users to access and play older games easily. Microsoft has now restricted access to this feature in standard retail mode, making it available only to paid access in the console's developer mode, which costs $20. As a result, users are effectively locked out from downloading and running emulators for dozens of old consoles, with an error code citing a violation of Microsoft Store policy.

This decision has caused a stir among retro gaming enthusiasts, who have expressed disappointment and frustration on social media platforms. Many have accused Microsoft of prioritizing profits over user experience, claiming that the move to restrict access to classic game emulation is unnecessary and unjustified.

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