[smoldesu]

> I actually think Microsoft is the most insidious character;

Towards game preservation? Microsoft is basically a patron saint. For starters, the concept of an "Xbox exclusive" barely exists. Most console titles Microsoft publishes release day-and-date on PC, where DirectX is entirely reverse-engineered and doesn't rely on Windows. The Xbox itself is the only console among the companies you mentioned where you can install an emulator without hacking the OS or red-teaming the OEM.

> combined with "backwards compatibility" for "preservation" that also does not work without internet.

That's because the Xbox does not contain redundant backwards-compatible hardware. It provides high-level emulation for older titles, which doesn't work unless you can download the mods. It's a bit like complaining that FPS Boost doesn't work without internet to download the update from.