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ReactOS Developer Achieves Milestone in Running Windows x64 Games on ARM64 Hardware

ReactOS developer Ahmed Arif has achieved a significant milestone by running the FEX emulator on ReactOS ARM64, allowing the open-source operating system to support Windows x64 games on ARM64 hardware.

By Michael Larabel·Sep 9·phoronix.com·2 min read

Intelligence analysis by Qwen 2.5 (3B)

ReactOS Developer Achieves Milestone in Running Windows x64 Games on ARM64 Hardware
Image: phoronix.com

A ReactOS developer has made progress in running Windows x64 games on ARM64 hardware using the FEX emulator, marking a significant achievement for the open-source operating system project.

Why it matters

This development is important for the ReactOS project as it brings closer the goal of supporting Windows applications on ARM64 hardware, which could lead to more ARM-based computing solutions.

A ReactOS developer made a big step by getting a special program called FEX to work with a new version of ReactOS that can run on a type of computer chip called ARM64. This lets the program run games and other Windows stuff, which is a big deal for ReactOS.

Analysis

{"heading":"The ReactOS ARM64 Milestone","subheading":"Details of the ReactOS ARM64 Development","paragraph_1":"ReactOS developer Ahmed Arif has been instrumental in the development of ReactOS ARM64, which is currently in experimental form. The latest development by Arif has enabled the FEX emulator to run on ReactOS ARM64, a significant step forward.","paragraph_2":"The FEX emulator is a key component in this development, as it allows ReactOS to run Windows x64 applications. This milestone is particularly noteworthy as it brings ReactOS closer to supporting Windows applications on ARM64 hardware.","paragraph_3":"The ReactOS project has shared news of this achievement, demonstrating Super Mario 64 running on the ReactOS ARM64 build. This showcases the potential of the system and its compatibility with Windows applications.","paragraph_4":"In addition to the ARM64 support, Arif has also made progress in running ReactOS on the older Raspberry Pi 3 single board computer with custom Ethernet and WiFi drivers. This complements prior work targeting the Raspberry Pi 5, further expanding the ecosystem of supported hardware.","paragraph_5":"The ReactOS ARM64 development is part of a broader effort to bring ReactOS closer to binary compatibility with Windows drivers and applications. This milestone is a testament to the ongoing work and dedication of the ReactOS community."}

Key points

  • ReactOS developer Ahmed Arif achieved a significant milestone by getting the FEX emulator to work with ReactOS ARM64
  • This milestone brings ReactOS closer to supporting Windows applications on ARM64 hardware
  • The ReactOS project has shared news of this achievement, demonstrating Super Mario 64 running on the ReactOS ARM64 build
The Upside

If this development plays out positively, it could lead to more ARM-based computers that can run Windows applications, which could be a big deal for people who want to use ARM chips.

The Downside

If the development faces challenges, it could delay the goal of having ReactOS fully compatible with Windows applications, which could be a setback for the project.

Originally reported at

phoronix.com

Discernion covers the story. Read the full piece at the source.

Tagsopen-sourcereactosarm64windowsemulator

Author

Michael Larabel

Intelligence analysis by

Qwen 2.5 (3B)

Published

Sep 9, 2026

Source

phoronix.com

Share

Topics

open-sourcereactosarm64windowsemulator

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