The original Xbox’s source code is said to have leaked earlier this week, according to a Verge report, alongside source code of Windows NT 3.5. The Xbox source code includes the kernel for the console’s operating system, itself a modified version of Windows 2000. The leaked package also contains the console’s development kit, build environment, emulators as well as Microsoft’s official documentation. The Verge says it has independently verified the leak, which the site notes has actually been in the wild for a while, but only shared privately among enthusiasts.
This could have wide-reaching implications specifically for the emulation, archival and homebrew scenes. Source code leaks are almost always significant for these reasons, but in the case of the original Xbox, it is even more so given the state of third-party emulators. Because of the custom nature of Xbox kernel, community-created emulators have not managed to recreate the console’s environment on their own. With the source code, all of these secrets would be laid bare. For now, Microsoft told The Verge that it’s “aware of these reports and are investigating.”
