Install Xenia

CoD Xe runs on both Xenia Canary and Xenia Canary Netplay on Windows.

Use Netplay for networking

Xenia Canary Netplay is required for networking features such as System Link. Without it, multiplayer is limited to four-player local split-screen, which also limits larger bot matches.

Download Xenia

Download the latest stable release of your chosen version and extract it to a dedicated folder.

Download Xenia Canary

Download Xenia Canary Netplay

Do not run Xenia from inside the downloaded .zip. After extraction, the folder should contain the executable for your chosen version.

• DirectoryXenia Canary

  • xenia_canary.exe
• DirectoryXenia Canary Netplay

  • xenia_canary_netplay.exe

Open Xenia once, then close it. Xenia creates its config and content files beside the executable.

Update Netplay To The Latest Nightly

Some fixes needed by CoD Xe games may be newer than the latest stable release. Xenia Canary Netplay can install the latest nightly build from its updater.

Development builds are experimental

Nightly builds contain the newest fixes, but they may also introduce new problems. Keep the stable release .zip so you can restore it if necessary.

1. Open Xenia Canary Netplay.
2. Select Netplay > Update Checker from the menu bar.

3. Turn off the Stable switch, then select Check for Nightly Updates.
4. Select Download when an update is available, then restart Xenia.

Configure Xenia For CoD Xe

Close Xenia, then open the config file beside its executable:

• Xenia Canary: xenia-canary-config.toml
• Xenia Canary Netplay: xenia-canary-netplay.config.toml

Change these values:

allow_plugins = false
allow_plugins = true

allow_game_relative_writes = false
allow_game_relative_writes = true

keyboard_mode = 0
keyboard_mode = 2

• allow_plugins = true allows Xenia to load CoD Xe from the plugins folder.
• allow_game_relative_writes = true allows game-relative writes used by CoD Xe and installed mods.
• keyboard_mode = 2 enables keyboard passthrough for the CoD Xe in-game console.

Close Xenia before editing

Xenia writes its configuration when it closes and may overwrite changes made while it is running.

Configure Upscaling

Upscaling is optional. Set both resolution scale values to the same number:

draw_resolution_scale_x = 2
draw_resolution_scale_y = 2

Target	X scale	Y scale
Original rendering	1	1
Approximately 1440p	2	2
Approximately 4K	3	3

Start at 2. If the game becomes slow, stutters, or displays broken effects, restore both values to 1.

Resolution scaling is experimental

Some effects can render incorrectly above the default 1x scale even when your GPU is fast enough.

Next Step

Install the title update required by the game guide you are following:

Install a title update on Xenia Choose the compatible update and install it in Xenia.