- Xodus, a fan-made project created by Heroic Games Launcher devs, will soon allow Linux users to play Xbox PC games directly on their systems.
- Xodus will be able to bypass Xbox authorization and allow game downloads from services like Game Pass.
- Older titles like Gears of War 4 will remain unsupported for the time being as Xodus focuses mainly on newer titles.
Linux gamers may soon have another way to play Xbox PC games on their devices natively rather than resorting to the Xbox’s cloud gaming service. A fan-made open-source project called Xodus is attempting to bring Xbox PC games to Linux and possibly Mac devices.
This could give users access to Microsoft’s growing PC library without needing to install Windows on Linux devices like Steam Deck. The developers behind the Heroic Games Launcher have already made significant progress on Xodus.
In a recent Reddit discussion, developer imLinguin confirmed that “the team has figured out Xbox authorization and game downloads, with the current focus shifting toward the game SDK.” Xodus can log into the Xbox login system to verify licenses, as well as download and decrypt game packages.
However, a working prototype of Xodus is still far from completion. Xodus will primarily target newer Xbox PC titles. This happens because Xodus solely targets Microsoft’s newer GDK and MSIXVC architecture.
This means that while the possibility of running the upcoming Gears of War: E-day on a Linux device like a Steam Machine is high, games like Gears of War 4 that use an older architecture won’t run on it.
Regardless, this could be a huge win for Linux gamers. Even though Steam offers a vast collection of games on Linux and fan-projects like Heroic Games Launcher also bring games from other storefronts, they often miss out on the Xbox’s exclusive catalogue.
Microsoft sees PC as a huge opportunity for gaming and plans to expand in this direction. This is evident from recent details about its next-generation console, Project Helix. However, Microsoft is highly unlikely to make Linux a part of its ecosystem anytime soon.
Xodus could help close that gap by allowing Linux users, even on a Steam Machine, to play Xbox PC games in the future. Many Xbox PC titles are already available on Linux through Steam or other storefronts, but the biggest advantage could be Xbox’s PC Game Pass, allowing Linux players to enjoy the benefits of the gaming subscription service.
