The Xbox , a sixth-generation gaming console made by Microsoft that was first released in 2001. The Xbox was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console market, and was followed by the Xbox 360 in 2005. The console is shown here with the S controller , whi Image by Evan-Amos, via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain).

Cxbx-Reloaded

ORIGINAL XBOX EMULATOR

Cxbx-Reloaded

Cxbx-Reloaded is an open-source, Windows-focused high-level emulator that runs Microsoft Original Xbox games by loading extracted game executables (default.xbe/.xbe) and translating Xbox APIs to native Windows calls. Development is active and builds are distributed from the project's GitHub releases and the project's site.

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Original XboxPRIMARY SYSTEM

History documentedPROJECT BEGAN

Open sourcePROJECT MODEL

WHY IT MATTERS

Why people use Cxbx-Reloaded

Cxbx-Reloaded focuses on high-level emulation (HLE) for many Original Xbox titles, allowing users to run extracted game executables on Windows without shipping copyrighted Xbox firmware. It is commonly used when a user has an already-extracted default.xbe (or loose .xbe) and wants an easy, Windows-native way to run those games while taking advantage of host GPU and controllers.

BEST FOR

Where Cxbx-Reloaded works best

Windows hosts for users who can supply extracted game files (.xbe) rather than disc images. It is often the preferred option when compatibility for specific titles is known to be good in development builds and when users prefer a HLE approach that doesn’t require an Xbox BIOS/HDD image.

Gameplay from Fable on Original Xbox.

The people behind Cxbx-Reloaded

Project history (short)

Cxbx-Reloaded is a community-driven continuation/rewrite of earlier CXBX efforts, maintained on GitHub with public development builds. The project history and changelog are documented in the project's repositories and wiki. Development has produced many incremental compatibility improvements over time and the project publishes development builds and release artifacts via GitHub releases and mirrored download pages.

What Cxbx-Reloaded supports

Platform: Microsoft Windows (development and prebuilt binaries targeted at Windows).
Game format: Extracted Xbox executables (default.xbe/.xbe) — Cxbx-Reloaded loads loose XBE files rather than requiring a disc image.
Input: XInput/DirectInput controllers supported via Windows input APIs (controller mapping configurable in the UI).
Rendering: Uses host GPU via DirectX / Windows graphics APIs (settings exposed in the UI / build).
Builds: Official source and prebuilt Windows binaries published on GitHub releases.

Download and availability

OFFICIAL DOWNLOADS

Get Cxbx-Reloaded

Official source and prebuilt Windows builds are published on the project's GitHub releases page. The project's main website mirrors and highlights the latest build information and links to those release artifacts.

Get Cxbx-Reloaded ↗

DOCUMENTATION

Official documentation

Read the official configuration, compatibility, and troubleshooting material before changing advanced options.

Read official documentation ↗

Broken or missing download? Emulator projects move and official links sometimes change. Please contact Retro Replay so the source can be verified and updated.

Cxbx-Reloaded setup guide

Setup note: This guide gives a practical, verified setup path for running Original Xbox games with Cxbx-Reloaded on Windows using official project builds. It assumes you have legal access to game files (an extracted default.xbe/.xbe) and a Windows PC where you can install required redistributables and place the game files.

1) Get the official build: Download the latest prebuilt Windows artifact from the project's GitHub Releases page (look for CxbxReloaded release ZIP/installer). The project's website also references the latest build and links back to the GitHub releases; use those official locations to ensure you have an up-to-date build.
2) Install Windows prerequisites: On the target Windows machine install the Visual C++ redistributable that matches the build (release notes or the release asset name usually indicates which VS runtime is required). Also make sure GPU drivers are current and DirectX runtime components used by Windows apps are present. If you plan to build from source, install the Visual Studio toolchain as documented in the project's build instructions.
3) Prepare game files (default.xbe/.xbe): Cxbx-Reloaded typically expects an extracted Xbox executable file (default.xbe or other .xbe from a game folder). Extract the contents of your legally owned Xbox game disc to a folder on your PC and locate the default.xbe (or the game's .xbe). Cxbx-Reloaded is designed to run loose .xbe files rather than requiring an Xbox HDD image or BIOS file.
4) Place files and run the emulator: Unzip the Cxbx-Reloaded release to a folder. Launch the executable (or the packaged launcher). In the emulator choose File → Open (or equivalent) and point it at the game's default.xbe/.xbe. Use the emulator's configuration dialogs to set the game folder as the working directory if the game expects relative resources.
5) Configure graphics and input: Open the graphics settings and choose the appropriate renderer backend exposed by the build (typically DirectX / Windows GPU path). Configure resolution, scaling, and any per-game hacks only if necessary. Configure controllers via XInput/DirectInput mappings in the input settings; many modern Xbox-compatible controllers work natively via XInput.
6) Troubleshooting and compatibility: If a game fails to start or has rendering/audio issues, check the release notes or the project's wiki for known game-specific fixes and try a more recent development build from GitHub if necessary. Keep in mind compatibility changes often appear first in development builds; users frequently share per-game tips in the project's issue tracker and community threads.
7) Building from source (optional): If you need a custom build or the latest fixes, follow the project's build-from-source instructions on the GitHub repository. Clone the official repository with submodules, install the required Windows development toolchain (Visual Studio and SDKs), and follow the build/CI instructions in the repo's README/wiki. Use the official repo as your authoritative build instructions.
8) Legal and content note: Cxbx-Reloaded does not include commercial games, firmware, BIOS, or Microsoft-authored software. You must supply any game files and any firmware/components you are legally allowed to possess. For many Original Xbox use cases, Cxbx-Reloaded is designed to run loose .xbe files so users do not need the console BIOS for those workflows — nevertheless, do not expect copyrighted firmware to be bundled with the emulator.

Software reminder: If you choose to build from source, match the Visual Studio and SDK versions documented in the repository. For running prebuilt binaries, ensure the Visual C++ runtime used by the release is installed on the system.