The PC is an impressive gaming platform. But recently, devices with Arm architecture and distinctive operating systems have become increasingly popular. However, due to the differences in OS and platform, they are mostly locked into their own gaming ecosystem. However, the situation seems to be gradually changing.
Thanks to the open-source Winlator solution, owners of Android devices are now able to run Windows games. The creator of the ETA PRIME YouTube channel demonstrated how Fallout 4 can be run on an Android smartphone and tablet and how comfortable the gameplay is.
It is worth noting that this approach has several pitfalls. Launching a Windows game on an Android device is a bit more complicated than on a regular gaming PC or Steam Deck – it requires several steps and minutes of setup. The end result does work, and it is possible to see a stable 30 frames per second in Fallout 4 on current-generation Android hardware. However, ETA PRIME still needed to make changes to the graphics settings in the .ini configuration file to achieve the desired result.
At the same time, you won’t be able to use Winlator with your Steam library or any other major digital rights management (DRM) stores. To run Windows games or programs through Winlator, they must be DRM-free. So, this way is currently only available for pirates and GOG users.
However, it is hoped that now that the viability of the concept of running Windows games on Android devices has been proven, large companies will start to join the process. If they are interested, they will be able to overcome the existing obstacles and simplify the launch of such games on Android.
Source: tomshardware