​

UPDATE: It seems like this new method has been removed and blocked yet again, similar to last time. It took Microsoft just a meager few hours to counter this new method, though it remains to be seen if this will continue in any case. Some reports from after the 1st down mention that this method is back again, which means that a possible game of cat and mouse between Devs and Microsoft will be on the frontline again.

Back in April, several users started reporting that their emulator applications in UWP format were getting blocked from running under the Xbox Series' retail mode. It all came down to Microsoft locking down the applications from running with the following message showing up when attempting to boot them: "This game or app can't be launched as it violates the Microsoft Store Policy."
However, emulator apps could still be installed and run under Dev Mode for both Xbox Series S and X consoles, but that didn't stop several developers to still dive in and attempt a new method for Retail mode viability.

After a couple of months since the news, developers SirMangler and TRW have started work on a new method for being able to install those emulators into retail mode, bypassing Microsoft's security. A new app store, called UWeaPons Store, has opened up in Patreon, and offers a way to install those applications (like Dolphin, RetroArch, Xenia, XBSX2) back into the Xbox Series' Retail Mode:

The UWeaPons store is an Xbox Emulation team comprised of SirMangler and TRW, the developers behind the Xbox ports of XBSX2.0 (PS2), Xenia (Xbox360) and Dolphin (GameCube/Wii)!

We offer access to a variety of emulators and emulator frontends (including RetroArch) without the need for a developer account, as well as way to support us to develop and work on the emulators we love!

It must be taken into consideration, however, that if you previously had emulators installed through the new method, your configuration will most likely not carry over to this new apps installed through UWeaPons Store. This does NOT mean that Microsoft has lifted up the previous ban on the apps, as those previously installed apps will still be locked in the console.

While the full method in which this is possible hasn't been disclosed by the developers themselves (probably to mitigate Microsoft's action to an extend), the way the new method works for the user is similar to a previous one, meaning the user has to provide an email to be whitelisted and be able to download the app from the UWP App Store, and adding to its, there's now a $2 fee from their Patreon, which then allows access to this new store.

There seems to be two key differences here, with one being that a lot of the metadata and the manifest of the application has scrapped off almost everything related to emulation, as to not trigger Microsoft's security, and that the UWeaPons Store utilizes only one download for all emulators, making uploads/downloads easier for both devs and users, and this also seems to help with the detection mitigation for the app.

Additionally, there's the uncertainty of whether or not Microsoft will, or rather, when they will counter this new method, as there's always the possibility of them finding out about the new homebrew store and working to remove it and/or lock it, just as they did with the previous method.

UWeaPons Store Patreon

 

[Purple_Shyguy]

You are wrong, first, developing and porting software is not the same thing, not even close, so no, porting an already developed code does not make you a developer.

Second, porting open source software and wanting to charge people for it should make these people ashamed of themselves, because they are taking advantage of other people's non-profit work.

Lastly, if you were really interested in supporting developers you would donate money to the real developers, who have worked for years for free and selflessly to give us the community the possibility to play games on other platforms, not these freeloaders who take advantage of a security flaw to try to scrape as much money as they can.

Mx4w has a patron for his work porting emulators to Switch. You gonna message him and tell him he should be ashamed of himself?

Secondly they didn't just port the emulators and that's it, they created entire GUI for dolphin and Xenia. Which had no GUI on Xbox. So yeah, they developed that.

 

[Kioku]

Mx4w has a patron for his work porting emulators to Switch. You gonna message him and tell him he should be ashamed of himself?

Secondly they didn't just port the emulators and that's it, they created entire GUI for dolphin and Xenia. Which had no GUI on Xbox. So yeah, they developed that.

Mx4w is charging for his work? You have to pay to use his ports and homebrew? No? Then this isn't a apples to apples comparison. Asking for optional donations to support the work involved is NOT the same thing as demanding a patreon donation to even use the software. Nevermind the fact that they aren't adding any additional value to the products (a GUI is not value).

 

[linuxares]

Not sure if this exploit costs real money like developer access to Microsoft. So I can see it from that perspective if they need/want money to do this.

 

[Purple_Shyguy]

Mx4w is charging for his work? You have to pay to use his ports and homebrew? No? Then this isn't a apples to apples comparison. Asking for optional donations to support the work involved is NOT the same thing as demanding a patreon donation to even use the software. Nevermind the fact that they aren't adding any additional value to the products (a GUI is not value).

Actually yes? You get exclusive access to his emulators and cores if you are a patron.

 

[Hustania]

It's great, but it would be even better if I had an Xbox in the first place.

 

[NotStupidAhaAha]

@Purple_Shyguy

Because the entitled generation wants all for free

If you're not old enough to get money, and your parents say 'no', then yes.

 

[ch4cktheno1]

Actually yes? You get exclusive access to his emulators and cores if you are a patron.

you can find thid page goohle, why shouldnt microsoft find out about it anyways and ban this stuff. u guys have to go much more UG