​

Microsoft has been dealing with a lot of iffy applications and software running amok in their stores since they enabled almost anyone to get a hold of development access to their systems starting from the Xbox One console (done mostly as a detriment to avoid their systems getting hacked, like what happened with the Xbox 360).

Due to that, there has been a constant fight between devs and Microsoft to get rid of those unauthorized applications from appearing in their store. Some might have seen some threads going around about RetroArch running through Retail Mode on Xbox consoles, and while RetroArch did end up in the store from time to time, the people in charge of the port had to constantly deal with Microsoft taking down the application constantly.

However, it seems like Microsoft got tired of this game of cat and mouse, and has finally decided to disable and prevent running any type of emulator application from running on any Xbox console altogether, with any attempt to launch an emulator app throwing error code 0x87E1002D.

The developers have shared the recent news on the Xbox Emulation Hub Discord server with the following:

It's been a good run guys!
As of today, it looks like Microsoft finally decided to fight back, and that faster takedowns weren't good enough.
https://support.xbox.com/en-US/help/errors/error-code-0x87e1002d

Error 0x87e1002d
"This game or app can't be launched as it violates the Microsoft Store Policy."

If you want any hope of Retail Mode emulation ever making a comeback NOW is the time to fight them on it.
Take it to Twitter, take it wherever you can and complain to Xbox about this decision.

So what are our current options for emulation on Xbox?
- Dev Mode is still very much an option.
You can either pay the stupid $20 / €20 fee, or you can simply make a new account set to TURKEY and pay $2 / €2, literally 1/10th the price.
- If your currently installed retail mode apps still work.
This will likely not last long, and they probably already don't work anymore.

-Will continue doing retail mode uploads from here on out?
Probably not. Unless this gets resolved, I'm going to focus on publishing weekly Dev Mode updates in #dev-announcements with our specialised cores for RetroArch.

While running the emulators through Dev Mode is still viable, it is unknown if Microsoft will tackle Dev mod next in any capacity, and it's still unknown if running applications like these from Retail mode will be available at all in any foreseeable future.

Xbox Emulation Hub Official Discord Server
Error code webpage on Xbox's site

 

[godreborn]

I don't have a series X, but series s at least runs apps just fine without being updated. I hadn't turned my internet on for it for weeks (after accidentally fucking up some port forwarding) and was able to play games on it just fine, including the retail mode emulators before.

It does? There are several videos of games not working if the internet is off.

 

[Xanthe]

If it still works in DEV mode then there is not a huge problem. However, this makes it real easy for them to just decide "yeah, we're just gonna put a halt to the whole thing" and limit all apps that we're allowed to install on our Xbox.

 

[M7L7NK7]

Well, It was good while it lasted.

Say hi to hackers jailbreaking your console, MS.

No one tried before they were available in retail mode and dev mode still exists so why would they try?

 

[samcambolt270]

It does? There are several videos of games not working if the internet is off.

Oh, yeah. Certain games absolutely wont work, but those are specifically set up by the developers to require checks. Plenty of games (most non-gamepass ones) seem to work fine offline for me at least

 

[Xoa]

It's stupid. I want things on retail mode so I can access emulators, my official games and games on gamepass without having to switch back and fourth. I'm just gonna stop buying xbox games and wont renew gamepass and stay in dev mode.

 

[Jayro]

I betcha it was due to the UWP apps that were recently released: Xenia, Dolphin, Duckstation, and Flycast.

In all fairness, I think it was Xenia that put the nail in the coffin... Playing emulated Xbox on Xbox is not only meta AF (badass), but probably was the reason for this silly recourse. I doubt they even care about the other 3.

 

[J-Machine]

meh. there is always dev mode for 20 bucks or an html5 based emu

Post automatically merged: Apr 7, 2023

In all fairness, I think it was Xenia that put the nail in the coffin... Playing emulated Xbox on Xbox is not only meta AF (badass), but probably was the reason for this silly recourse. I doubt they even care about the other 3.

if anything I'm pretty sure nintendo is the one at fault but also possibly sony cause they are actively in court with each other.

 

[urbanman2004]

​

Microsoft has been dealing with a lot of iffy applications and software running amok in their stores since they enabled almost anyone to get a hold of development access to their systems starting from the Xbox One console (done mostly as a detriment to avoid their systems getting hacked, like what happened with the Xbox 360).

Due to that, there has been a constant fight between devs and Microsoft to get rid of those unauthorized applications from appearing in their store. Some might have seen some threads going around about RetroArch running through Retail Mode on Xbox consoles, and while RetroArch did end up in the store from time to time, the people in charge of the port had to constantly deal with Microsoft taking down the application constantly.

However, it seems like Microsoft got tired of this game of cat and mouse, and has finally decided to disable and prevent running any type of emulator application from running on any Xbox console altogether, with any attempt to launch an emulator app throwing error code 0x87E1002D.

The developers have shared the recent news on the Xbox Emulation Hub Discord server with the following:



While running the emulators through Dev Mode is still viable, it is unknown if Microsoft will tackle Dev mod next in any capacity, and it's still unknown if running applications like these from Retail mode will be available at all in any foreseeable future.

Xbox Emulation Hub Official Discord Server
Error code webpage on Xbox's site

Yeah, I got the news this morning via Discord notification. As bad as it sounds, I'm speculative whether this was a deliberate act or not so I'm willing to give M$ the benefit of the doubt and await for them to give a response. Now, let's say after a month or so, they still haven't addressed the matter then I might have some choice words to sternly scold and criticize them since the last time something this happened it took only less than a week for them to respond.

Post automatically merged: Apr 7, 2023

If Microsoft cripples Dev mode their videogame consoles will start to get hacked so that will most likely stay.

Exactly what I was thinking. Dev mode I think is the main thing incentivizing hackers from attempting to blow the roof wide open on their precious box.

Post automatically merged: Apr 7, 2023

Lol, more babies crying that mommy won't buy them games and they can't pirate them as easy anymore, grow up people. Also the idea that Microsoft doing this is somehow Nintendo's fault is pathetic. BTW I fully support Nintendo as our tyrannical overlords

Who hurt you? ‍♂

 

[HarveyHouston]

Good to know about this retail restriction; I'll let my project members know.

 

[Xoa]

Nintendo was mad that emulation is much better on Xbox than Switch so they bitched to MS. That's my headcanon.

 

[DarkCoffe64]

It says on discord it was Nintendo specifically

 

[Foxi4]

In all honesty, I was surprised it was allowed in Retail Mode for more than 15 seconds, so this had a good run overall.

 

[SMNFXCN]

i wonder how they can tell if it's an emulator app or not

 

[Dragon91Nippon]

No one tried before they were available in retail mode and dev mode still exists so why would they try?

Depends if they start cracking down and prevent it from working in Dev mode, that would give them a good reason to break open the system.

 

[Rahkeesh]

Not sure I believe the "Nintendo!" excuse when Valve is officially allowing emulators on their store, including a page for Dolphin recently going up. Where's the lawsuit there?

As pointed out Microsoft does not allow emulators into their store. Even though they will allow the Epic store. And they've been playing cat-and-mouse with people distributing retail copies. This just looks like they got a better tool in place to do what they were always trying to do.

 

[naddel81]

Can someone please help me? When switching from retail to dev mode this happened: Error e208
See Pic.

 

[Xzi]

Not sure I believe the "Nintendo!" excuse when Valve is officially allowing emulators on their store, including a page for Dolphin recently going up. Where's the lawsuit there?

It didn't even need to be a threat for a lawsuit so much as a letter from their legal department basically asking, "could you not?" Nintendo probably just wants that thin layer of obfuscation where most users can access emulators, but they aren't handed to all users on a platter. If Ninty sent Valve a similar letter, it would be disregarded as the PC space has always played by its own rules.

 

[ut2k4master]

Can someone please help me? When switching from retail to dev mode this happened: Error e208
See Pic.

did you get the correct dev mode app? there are two, one for xbox one and one for series consoles

 

[Dragon91Nippon]

Not sure I believe the "Nintendo!" excuse when Valve is officially allowing emulators on their store, including a page for Dolphin recently going up. Where's the lawsuit there?

As pointed out Microsoft does not allow emulators into their store. Even though they will allow the Epic store. And they've been playing cat-and-mouse with people distributing retail copies. This just looks like they got a better tool in place to do what they were always trying to do.

This whole situation seems like an excuse people made up to attempt to explain why Microsoft did something in a way that sounds more angering and interesting than "Microsoft just decided to do a thing".

A similar thing happened in the Youtube Vanced project where everyone like a big stupid hivemind started going around spouting crap about NFTs since that was the better more interesting narrative.

These situations are both very similar as people are attempting to paint someone as a villain in a story because it's more interesting and easy to explain than what's much more likely which is that they just did it for either no reason or they were getting tired of people spamming their store. That's not as interesting as the idea that Big Bad Wolf Nintendo had something to do with it and doesn't make as good of a story.

 

[mightymuffy]

Can't say I'm not pissed off about this, just set up a drive full of goodies for my kid bro's machine, and gave my mum my raspberry pi4 since I didn't need it anymore! There's dev mode I suppose, which I think I'd have to sign up for again anyway, and the missus never liked it in the first place (I kept forgetting to switch it back to retail mode for her!) Ugh, good ole Nintendo, I love your games but you're a right bunch of arseholes on the sly! (I'm also sure MS weren't too happy about Xenia)