Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Xenia Xbox 360 emulator

Answers to frequently asked questions about Xenia, the Xbox 360 emulator.

General Questions

What is Xenia?

Xenia is an experimental Xbox 360 emulator for Windows and Linux. It aims to emulate the Xbox 360 hardware and run commercial games, homebrew software, and development tools.

The project is open source and focuses on research and education about modern console emulation techniques.

What is Xenia Canary?

Xenia Canary is an experimental fork of the main Xenia emulator. It includes additional features, experimental changes, and potentially less stable code compared to the main branch.

For more information, see the Xenia Canary wiki.

Is Xenia legal?

Yes. Xenia is a legal research and educational project. All information used in development is obtained through:

• Reverse engineering of legally purchased devices and games
• Publicly available information

However: Using Xenia to play games you don’t own or obtaining game files through illegal means is not legal.

Where can I get help?

• Discord: Join the Xenia Discord for community support (stay on topic in #dev)
• FAQ: Check the FAQ page on the wiki first
• Issues: Search GitHub issues for similar problems

Remember that developers have jobs and lives - don’t expect instant answers. Lurking is encouraged!

System Requirements

What are the system requirements?

Minimum Requirements:

• Modern quad-core CPU (Intel i5/AMD Ryzen 5 or better)
• DirectX 12 or Vulkan capable GPU
• 8 GB RAM
• Windows 10 64-bit or Linux 64-bit

Recommended:

• High-performance CPU with strong single-thread performance
• Dedicated GPU (NVIDIA GTX 1060 / AMD RX 580 or better)
• 16 GB RAM or more
• SSD for faster loading times

Performance varies significantly by game. Some titles require very powerful hardware to run at full speed.

Can I run Xenia on a laptop?

It depends on the laptop’s specifications. Gaming laptops with dedicated GPUs and modern CPUs can run many Xbox 360 games through Xenia.

Ultrabooks and budget laptops with integrated graphics will struggle with most games. Check your laptop’s specifications against the system requirements.

Does Xenia support Linux?

Yes! Xenia has Linux support, though it may be less mature than the Windows version.

If you’re skilled with Linux, consider helping with the Linux port.

See the Linux building guide for setup instructions.

Does Xenia support macOS?

No. Xenia does not currently support macOS and there are no plans for macOS support at this time.

Game Compatibility

How many games work?

Xenia can boot hundreds of Xbox 360 titles, with varying degrees of playability:

• Some games are fully playable from start to finish
• Many games have graphics glitches or performance issues
• Some games crash or don’t boot at all

Check the compatibility list for specific game status.

Why doesn't my game work?

Many factors can prevent games from working:

• Unimplemented features: The game uses Xbox 360 features not yet emulated
• Bugs: Emulation bugs that affect this specific game
• Hardware: Your PC doesn’t meet the performance requirements
• Corrupt files: The game files are incomplete or damaged

Try:

1. Using the latest Xenia Canary build
2. Checking the compatibility list for known issues
3. Adjusting configuration settings
4. Reporting the issue if it’s not already known

Can I play Xbox Live games?

No. Online multiplayer and Xbox Live features are not supported. Xenia focuses on single-player game emulation.

Some games may work in offline/single-player modes even if they have online features.

Do Kinect games work?

No. Kinect sensor emulation is not implemented, so games requiring Kinect will not work.

Can I use game saves from a real Xbox 360?

This depends on the game. Some game saves may work if transferred correctly, but compatibility is not guaranteed.

Save file locations and formats vary by game.

Performance Issues

Why is my game running slowly?

Emulation is CPU-intensive. Common causes of slowdown:

CPU bottleneck:

• Xbox 360 emulation requires significant CPU power
• Single-thread performance is critical
• Some games are more demanding than others

Solutions:

• Close background applications
• Disable vsync with --vsync=false to test maximum speed
• Ensure your CPU isn’t thermal throttling
• Try different configuration settings

If your hardware doesn’t meet recommended specs, some games may not reach full speed.

How can I improve performance?

Configuration tweaks:

# Disable vsync for maximum speed
xenia --vsync=false game.xex

# Unlimited framerate
xenia --framerate_limit=0 game.xex

System optimization:

• Close unnecessary background applications
• Ensure GPU drivers are up to date
• Run Xenia with high CPU priority
• Disable Windows Game Mode (sometimes helps)

Hardware:

• Overclock CPU if possible (at your own risk)
• Upgrade to a CPU with better single-thread performance
• Ensure adequate cooling for sustained performance

What's the difference between vsync on and off?

Vsync Enabled (--vsync=true, default):

• Limits rendering to 60 FPS (matching Xbox 360)
• Reduces screen tearing
• May add input latency
• Recommended for most games

Vsync Disabled (--vsync=false):

• Renders as fast as possible
• Useful for testing maximum performance
• May cause screen tearing
• Can help identify CPU/GPU bottlenecks

Why do I get stuttering during gameplay?

Common causes:

Shader compilation:

• First-time shader compilation causes stuttering
• Stuttering decreases as more shaders are cached
• This is a known limitation of emulation

CPU/GPU spikes:

• Background processes interfering
• Thermal throttling
• Insufficient hardware

Solutions:

• Play through stuttering sections once to build shader cache
• Monitor CPU/GPU temperatures
• Close background applications
• Ensure adequate system cooling

Graphics Issues

Why do graphics look wrong?

Graphics issues are common in emulation:

Common problems:

• Missing textures or effects
• Incorrect colors or lighting
• Flickering or z-fighting
• UI elements not displaying correctly

Potential fixes:

• Try different GPU configuration options
• Toggle half_pixel_offset setting
• Update graphics drivers
• Check compatibility list for game-specific settings

Many graphics issues are due to emulation inaccuracies and require code fixes.

Can I increase the rendering resolution?

Xenia renders at the game’s native resolution. Resolution scaling features are not currently implemented.

Some UI elements and rendering techniques don’t scale well, making this a complex feature to add.

Why is the screen black but I hear audio?

This usually indicates:

• Graphics driver issues
• GPU compatibility problems
• Game-specific rendering bugs

Try:

1. Updating graphics drivers
2. Using different GPU API (DirectX 12 vs Vulkan)
3. Checking if your GPU supports required features
4. Looking for similar reports in the compatibility list

Configuration and Setup

Where are configuration files stored?

By default, Xenia stores configuration in:

• xenia-canary.config.toml - Main configuration file
• config/ subdirectory - Per-game configurations (named by Title ID)

You can specify a custom config location with --config command-line argument.

See the Configuration reference for details.

How do I use command-line arguments?

Command-line arguments override config file settings:

xenia [options] <game_path>

Examples:

# Disable vsync
xenia --vsync=false game.xex

# Dump shaders for debugging
xenia --dump_shaders=output/ game.xex

# Run headless for testing
xenia --headless game.xex

See the Command-Line reference for all options.

What file formats does Xenia support?

Xenia can load:

• .xex - Xbox 360 executable files
• .iso - Disc images (ISO format)
• Game directories containing default.xex

Make sure game files are not corrupted and come from legitimate sources (your own Xbox 360 discs).

How do I extract games from Xbox 360 discs?

You’ll need to use your Xbox 360 console or a compatible PC drive to extract game files.

Important: Only extract games you legally own. Piracy is not supported or encouraged.

Tools and methods vary - search online for current extraction guides for your specific situation.

Development and Contributing

How can I contribute to Xenia?

There are many ways to help:

Code contributions:

• Fix bugs and implement features
• See Contributing guidelines
• Follow the style guide
• Check good first issues

Non-code contributions:

• Test games and report compatibility
• Update documentation
• Help other users on Discord
• Report detailed bug reports

Advanced C++ knowledge is helpful for code contributions.

How do I build Xenia from source?

See the Building documentation for complete instructions.

Quick overview:

1. Install prerequisites (Python, Visual Studio/GCC)
2. Clone the repository
3. Run build script: xb build

Platform-specific guides:

• Windows building guide
• Linux building guide

Can I help with specific areas?

Yes! Check the issue tracker for areas needing help:

• Good first issues
• Linux porting help needed
• Compatibility issues

Ask on Discord in #dev before starting major work to coordinate with other developers.

Why was my question/issue closed?

Common reasons:

• Question already answered in FAQ or documentation
• Issue is a duplicate of an existing report
• Not enough information provided
• Issue is off-topic or not related to emulation
• Discussing illegal activities (results in ban)

Please read the FAQ and search existing issues before posting.

Troubleshooting

Xenia won't start or crashes immediately

Check prerequisites:

• Windows 10 64-bit or compatible Linux distribution
• DirectX 12 or Vulkan capable GPU
• Latest graphics drivers installed
• Visual C++ Redistributables installed (Windows)

Try:

1. Run as administrator (Windows)
2. Disable antivirus temporarily
3. Check event logs for error details
4. Verify GPU supports required features
5. Try different graphics API if available

Where are log files?

Xenia creates log files in the same directory as the executable.

Log files contain important diagnostic information for troubleshooting. Include relevant log sections when reporting issues.

You can also specify custom log locations with command-line arguments.

How do I report a bug?

Good bug reports include:

1. Xenia version: Specific build/commit hash
2. Game information: Title and Title ID
3. System specs: CPU, GPU, RAM, OS
4. Reproduction steps: Detailed steps to reproduce
5. Logs: Relevant log file sections
6. Screenshots: Visual evidence of the issue
7. Configuration: Any non-default settings

Search existing issues first to avoid duplicates.

Antivirus is flagging Xenia

Some antivirus software may flag Xenia as suspicious because:

• It uses JIT compilation
• It modifies memory and code at runtime
• It’s not digitally signed

These are normal emulator behaviors, not malicious activity.

If you trust the source:

• Add exception in antivirus software
• Download only from official sources (GitHub releases)
• Verify file checksums if provided

Never disable antivirus completely - only add specific exceptions.

Community and Support

Where is the community?

• Discord: https://discord.gg/Q9mxZf9 - Active community chat
• GitHub: https://github.com/xenia-canary/xenia-canary - Source code and issues
• Wiki: https://github.com/xenia-canary/xenia-canary/wiki - Documentation

Join #dev on Discord for development discussion, but stay on topic!

What activities are prohibited?

Discussion of illegal activities will result in a ban:

• Piracy or where to download games illegally
• Circumventing game protection illegally
• Sharing copyrighted content

Xenia is for research and education. Only use it with games you legally own.

Why don't developers respond immediately?

Remember:

• Developers have jobs, lives, and other commitments
• This is an open-source project maintained in spare time
• Many questions are answered in documentation
• Search before asking - your question may already be answered

Lurking and reading documentation is encouraged! Don’t expect instant support.

Additional Resources

Quickstart Guide

Get started with Xenia quickly

Configuration Reference

Complete configuration options

Compatibility List

Check game compatibility status

Discord Community

Join the community discussion