Xbox emulators are back again, months after Microsoft had blocked them from running under the Retail Mode of the Xbox series consoles.
In April 2023, users trying to run UWP emulators on Retail Mode were greeted with the message – ‘This game or app can’t be launched as it violates the Microsoft Store Policy’. While the apps could be installed and run under the Developer Mode in both Series X and Series S consoles, the viability of Retail Mode seemed to have stopped.
UWeaPons Store opens shop for enabling Xbox emulators
Developers TRW and SirMangler soon jumped into action to get these Xbox emulators back in Retail Mode, trying to figure out a new method for bypassing the Microsoft store’s security. The result is the new app store named UWeaPons Store, now up and running on Patreon. This store offers users a way to install Xbox emulator applications, such as RetroArch, XBSX2 (for PS2 games), Dolphin (for Gamecube and Wii games), and Xenia (for Xbox 360 games).
According to the developers of UWeaPons Store:
“We offer access to a variety of emulators and emulator frontends (including RetroArch) without the need for a developer account, as well as a way to support us to develop and work on the emulators we love!”
The catch: Users have to pay $2 to access the new Xbox emulator store
The new method, although not fully disclosed by the developers behind UWeaPons Store (most likely to stop Microsoft from banning their products), works quite similarly to the old one.
Users need to provide their email to be shortlisted, and after paying a measly $2/month fee on the developer’s Patreon, users gain access to the store. Users can then download the app on their console, access the store, and run emulations on their Xbox consoles.
Previously installed Xbox emulator titles will not carry over
It is important to note that the Xbox emulator apps users had previously installed in their consoles may not necessarily carry over to UWeaPons Store. As Microsoft has still restricted the use of these apps, they will remain locked in the users’ consoles.
While this new store is up and running, it is unclear whether or when Microsoft will find ways to counter this effort.
Source: Idle Sloth (via Twitter)
