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Bubbleshum edited this page May 22, 2026 · 3 revisions

FAQ

General

What is WPR?

WPR (Windows Phone Runner) is an experimental compatibility layer and runtime environment designed to run Windows Phone XNA games on modern platforms such as Windows and Android.

The project focuses primarily on preserving Windows Phone gaming history and improving compatibility over time.

Is WPR an emulator?

Not exactly.

WPR is closer to a runtime compatibility layer than a traditional hardware emulator. It reimplements and translates portions of the Windows Phone XNA environment for modern platforms.

What platforms does WPR support?

Platform Status
Windows ✅ In Development
Android ✅ In Development
Linux ⚠️ Experimental
macOS ❌ Not Planned

What types of games are supported?

WPR currently focuses mainly on:

  • Windows Phone XNA games
  • XAP-based titles

Support for Silverlight and native WinRT applications is currently limited or unsupported.

Compatibility

Why does my game not boot?

Common reasons include:

  • Missing API implementations
  • Unsupported runtime features
  • Graphics backend issues
  • Unsupported Silverlight functionality
  • Game-specific assumptions about Windows Phone hardware

Check the Compatibility List for current status information.

Why is performance different between games?

Performance depends on many factors:

  • Graphics complexity
  • API usage
  • Device hardware
  • Driver support
  • Vulkan compatibility
  • Current WPR implementation state

Because WPR is still in alpha, optimisation is ongoing.

Why are graphics broken in some games?

Some rendering features are still incomplete.

Common issues include:

  • Incorrect shaders
  • Render target problems
  • Blend state issues
  • SpriteBatch edge cases
  • Unsupported graphics effects

Why is audio missing or distorted?

Audio support is still being improved.

Some games rely on:

  • XACT
  • custom audio engines
  • timing-sensitive playback

These systems are still under active development.

Android

Does WPR support Android?

Yes.

Android support is currently in active development.

Compatibility and performance may vary heavily between devices.

Does WPR require Vulkan on Android?

Some rendering paths currently rely on Vulkan support.

Devices with poor Vulkan drivers may experience:

  • crashes
  • rendering corruption
  • startup failures

Which Android devices work best?

Generally:

  • newer devices
  • Snapdragon-based devices
  • devices with strong Vulkan support

tend to work better.

Windows

Does WPR work on Windows 11?

Yes.

WPR is primarily developed and tested on modern Windows systems.

Does WPR require a dedicated GPU?

Not necessarily, but a dedicated GPU is strongly recommended for best compatibility and performance.

Integrated GPUs may still work for simpler titles.

Games

Where do I get games?

WPR does not provide games.

Users must legally obtain and own any games they use with WPR.

Are encrypted XAPs supported?

Support depends on the title and how it was packaged.

Some titles may require additional work or compatibility fixes.

Are Xbox Live features supported?

Currently:

  • partial GamerServices functionality exists
  • achievement support is experimental
  • online services are unsupported

Development

Is WPR open source?

Yes.

The source code is available on GitHub.

Can I contribute?

Absolutely.

Contributions are welcome for:

  • compatibility testing
  • bug fixing
  • graphics work
  • Android improvements
  • documentation
  • API implementations

See: Contributing

Why was WPR rewritten for .NET 8 and Avalonia?

The migration helps modernise the project by improving:

  • cross-platform support
  • maintainability
  • tooling
  • future scalability

Is Silverlight supported?

Silverlight support is currently experimental and incomplete.

Many Silverlight APIs and controls still require implementation.

Troubleshooting

The application crashes immediately

Possible causes include:

  • missing dependencies
  • unsupported GPU drivers
  • Vulkan issues
  • invalid game package
  • unsupported APIs

See: Troubleshooting

My game freezes during gameplay

This can happen due to:

  • unimplemented APIs
  • threading issues
  • rendering problems
  • content loading bugs

Please report reproducible freezes through GitHub Issues.

Where are logs stored?

Log locations may vary depending on platform and build configuration.

Detailed logging support is still evolving during alpha development.

Future

Will WPR support all Windows Phone games?

Probably not all games.

However, the goal is to support as many XNA titles as realistically possible.

Will native Windows Phone apps be supported?

Modern native WinRT applications are currently outside the main scope of WPR.

Is online multiplayer planned?

There are currently no plans for Xbox Live or official online service emulation.

Legal

Is WPR affiliated with Microsoft?

No.

WPR is an independent open-source preservation project and is not affiliated with Microsoft, Xbox, or Windows Phone.

Is using WPR legal?

WPR itself is legal open-source software.

Users are responsible for ensuring they legally own any games they use with WPR.

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