Shockwave in Gaming: Xbox Series X|S Poised to Run PlayStation 3 Games Before PlayStation 5!

The gaming world is buzzing with excitement! The Xbox Series X and Series S consoles could potentially run PlayStation 3 games before Sony’s PlayStation 5, thanks to a significant update to Developer Mode.

A recent video by Modern Vintage Gamer delves into this intriguing development. Despite some changes in recent months, the Xbox Series S remains a powerful machine for emulation. The latest update to Developer Mode includes support for Mesa (OpenGL/Vulkan), which could open the door to PlayStation 3 and even Nintendo Switch emulation. For instance, the Nintendo 3DS emulator, Citra, is now running on the Xbox Series X and Series S reasonably well, even in its alpha stage.

Console New Capability Current Status
Xbox Series X PlayStation 3 Emulation Enabled by Mesa Support
Xbox Series S PlayStation 3 Emulation Enabled by Mesa Support
PlayStation 5 Limited PS3 Compatibility Rumored, Not Implemented

The Potential and the Peculiar

Imagine playing “Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots” on an Xbox! This scenario could soon be a reality unless Sony steps up with a robust backward compatibility solution for the PlayStation 5. Rumors suggest PS5 will eventually support PS3 games, but technical hurdles, primarily due to the PS3’s complex Cell architecture, may limit this to a small selection of titles.

Developer Mode: Unlocking New Horizons

The Xbox Series X and Series S Developer Mode is a special feature designed for software development and testing on retail units. This mode’s newfound capability could revolutionize the gaming experience by enabling games from different platforms to run on Xbox consoles.

For those interested in exploring Developer Mode, detailed information is available on Microsoft’s official website.


The landscape of console gaming is evolving rapidly. Stay tuned for more updates as this story develops!