‘Original Xbox and Windows NT 3.5 source code appears on the web’

The source code of both the original Xbox and Windows version NT 3.5 have appeared on the internet. The Xbox kernel has also been published, which is a modified version of Windows 2000. Microsoft says it is investigating the Xbox leak.

According to The Verge, the Xbox source code has been released including “some” build environments, the Xbox Development Kit, test emulators and internal documents. The source code and kernel have been shared between enthusiasts before, according to the tech news site, but have now appeared publicly on the internet. As a result, the consequences of the leak seem limited, although other homebrewers can now also get to work with the code. The Xbox kernel is said to be a modified and stripped-down version of Windows 2000, with support for DirectX 8 added.

The source code leaks make it easier for homebrew developers to create emulators of games originally released for the original Xbox. For example, older games could be played on a modern PC. Earlier this month, a DirectX 12 version of Super Mario 64 was released after the game’s source code was decompiled in 2019.

In addition to the Xbox leak, the source code of a near-final version of Windows NT 3.5 has also been released. This code includes build tools. Support for this operating system expired at the end of 2001, so the security risks are limited. Microsoft tells The Verge that it is aware of and investigating the rumors about the Xbox. Microsoft did not want to say anything about the appearance of the Windows NT version.