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PS5X: The KytyPS5 PS5 Emulator Ported to Xbox Series X Developer Mode Runs Only Four Non-Exclusive Games
Key points
- Developer Devran Cosmo Uenal posted a video on Sept 8, and from Sept 21 VideoCardz and others covered it: he ported KytyPS5 to an Xbox Developer Mode UWP app called PS5X.
- The demo ran PS5 versions of GEX Trilogy, Hellboy: Web of Wyrd, Marvel Cosmic Invasion and Quake II. None are PS5 exclusives. Quake II ran at about 25-45 FPS with noticeable input lag.
- Xbox doesn't support Vulkan, so graphics must be translated to DirectX 12. Developer Mode caps games at about 5GB of memory, too little for most modern games.
- Engadget wrote on Oct 18 that there was no public download. When we checked on Nov 1, the developer's own GitHub had experimental Xbox Developer Mode builds (the earliest dated Oct 11).
- Retail-mode Xbox consoles can't run it. Fake KytyPS5 downloads spreading malware appeared in the same period, so be careful with 'PS5X download' sites.
On this page
As of November 2026, an Xbox can only run PS5 games in Developer Mode, and only through one experimental, one-person project: PS5X. It's developer Devran Cosmo Uenal's port of the open-source PS5 emulator KytyPS5 to Xbox Series X. His September demo ran four PS5-version games, none of them PS5 exclusives. A retail-mode Xbox, the mode you normally play games in, can't use it.
What the demo showed
Uenal posted a YouTube video on September 8 describing it as a "research project." It spread after VideoCardz and Notebookcheck covered it on September 21-22:
| Game (PS5 version) | Result |
|---|---|
| Quake II | About 25-45 FPS, sometimes under 20; noticeable input lag |
| GEX Trilogy | Runs, Xbox controller works |
| Hellboy: Web of Wyrd | Runs, Xbox controller works |
| Marvel Cosmic Invasion | Runs, Xbox controller works |
All four are also sold on other platforms. Engadget's Oct 18 report confirmed there was no sign yet of a PS5 exclusive running on PS5X.
How it works, and where it's stuck
- CPU: Xbox Series X, like the PS5, has eight AMD Zen 2 cores, RDNA 2 graphics and 16GB of GDDR6, so a game's CPU code can run directly.
- Graphics: KytyPS5 uses Vulkan on PC, but Xbox Developer Mode only supports DirectX 11 and 12. Uenal wrote in the video description: "Since Vulkan isn't supported, everything needs to be translated to DirectX." That also means improvements to KytyPS5's PC renderer don't carry over automatically.
- Memory: per Microsoft's documentation, game apps in Developer Mode get 5GB of memory, versus 13.5GB for retail games, which rules out most modern games.
- Uenal says the project includes no PS5 firmware or decryption keys, and acknowledges AI tools were involved.
Update: experimental builds are out
Engadget wrote on October 18 that there was "no public download." But when we checked on November 1, Uenal's own fork of KytyPS5 on GitHub, called "KytyPS5 for Xbox," was publishing experimental builds for Xbox Series X|S Developer Mode: the earliest dated October 11, the latest October 28. According to its README, it uses a Direct3D 12 renderer, a swap file to keep games within the memory limit, and can load games from a USB drive. Draws the Series X can't do, such as tessellation, are skipped.
Watch out for impostors
On October 28-29, Engadget and Tom's Hardware relayed NordVPN's research: GitHub repos impersonating KytyPS5 and AnyPS5 were pushing zip files with a password stealer that adds Windows Defender exclusions. Be just as careful when searching for "PS5X download" or "PS5 emulator for Xbox," and only trust what the developer publishes himself.
What this means for players
If you have a regular Xbox, there's no usable PS5 emulation for you today. If you want PS5 games on a big screen, KytyPS5 on PC is further along; see the Astro Bot and GTA V compatibility records for big games, and the PlayStation hub for more news.
FAQ
Can an Xbox play PS5 games now?
Not a regular one. PS5X only runs in Xbox Series X|S Developer Mode; you can't install it in the retail mode you normally play games in. As of November 2026, the demos in the press ran four PS5-version games (GEX Trilogy, Hellboy: Web of Wyrd, Marvel Cosmic Invasion and Quake II), none of them PS5 exclusives.
Can I download PS5X?
Engadget reported on Oct 18, 2026 that there was no public download. When we checked on Nov 1, developer Devran Cosmo Uenal's own GitHub had experimental builds for Xbox Developer Mode (called KytyPS5 for Xbox, earliest dated Oct 11). 'PS5X download' or 'PS5 emulator for Xbox' offers on other sites aren't from the developer.
Why can't Xbox run big PS5 games?
Memory is the biggest limit: game apps in Xbox Developer Mode get about 5GB, while retail games get 13.5GB, which rules out most modern games. Also, Xbox doesn't support Vulkan, so KytyPS5's graphics must be translated to DirectX 12, and improvements to the PC renderer don't carry over automatically.
Is PS5X an official KytyPS5 project?
No. PS5X is Devran Cosmo Uenal's personal port of the open-source KytyPS5. He calls it a research project, says it includes no PS5 firmware or decryption keys, and acknowledges using AI tools. Neither the KytyPS5 project nor Microsoft has announced Xbox support.
Sources
- VideoCardz: First PS5 games now run on Xbox Series X through experimental emulator (2026-09-21)
- Notebookcheck: Developers get PS5 software running on Xbox Series X through new emulator port (2026-09-22)
- Engadget: An Xbox Series X can now run PlayStation 5 games, but there's a catch (2026-10-18)
- Tom's Hardware: Fake PS5 emulators are being used to steal gamers' passwords (2026-10-29)
- KytyPS5 official site