WWE '13 Recomp

WWE '13 Recomp

An unofficial static recompilation of the Xbox 360 version of WWE '13 for 64-bit Windows and Linux. The original PowerPC game code is translated ahead of time to C++ and built into a native executable using the ReXGlue SDK; this is not an Xbox 360 emulator.

Latest release: v1.1 (2026-10-04) – new Content page in the launcher, Ministry Undertaker freeze fix and more. See CHANGELOG.md.

Before you download

You must own a legally obtained Xbox 360 copy of WWE '13 and supply the game files yourself. This project does not include the retail default.xex, title-update file, game assets, audio, video, DLC, or saves. The executable is a compiled recompilation derived from the game; it is not a substitute for supplying the required game data. See DISCLAIMER.md.

Required game files

• Base game files from your own copy (a game folder, or your own disc image .iso).
• Title update 2.0.1.0 (default.xexp and its data files). It is required: the recompilation was built from the updated game, so the game refuses to start without it and tells you why.
• DLC packs are optional.

What you need

• Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit), or Linux (glibc 2.38 or newer, e.g. Ubuntu 24.04, with GTK3; on Wayland the game window runs through XWayland, installed by default on most distributions).
• CPU: a 64-bit processor with AVX2 (most PCs from 2013 onward: Intel Haswell / AMD Ryzen or newer).
• Graphics: a graphics card with up-to-date Vulkan drivers. On integrated graphics, choose 480p.
• About 10 GB of free space for the game files.

Install and play

1. Download WWE13-Recomp-v1.4.zip and extract it to a normal folder such as Documents or Desktop (not C:\Program Files).
2. Start WWE13 Launcher.exe (Linux: Linux-x86_64/wwe13-launcher).
3. In Game files, do one of the following:
   • put your game folder in the WWE 13 folder beside the launcher, or
   • press Find Automatically to search this PC, or
   • press Choose a Folder, or Use a Disc Image to extract your own .iso once.
4. Add the title update (and DLC packs, if you have them) with Add TU or DLC. The launcher accepts the package files you have and installs them where the game expects them.
5. Press Play. The very first start takes a few extra seconds while the game prepares its graphics; after that it starts normally.

The launcher checks every file and shows Game files ready when everything is correct.

WWE13-Recomp-x64/
├── WWE13 Launcher.exe          # start here (Windows)
├── wwe13.exe                   # the game (started by the launcher)
├── wwe13.toml                  # keyboard keys (change them on the launcher's Controls page)
├── avcodec-58.dll, avutil-56.dll
├── shader-cache/               # pre-built graphics data so the game starts quickly
├── Linux-x86_64/               # Linux launcher + game
├── README.md, DISCLAIMER.md, LICENSE, SHA256SUMS
├── licenses/, third-party-licenses/, ffmpeg-source-*.zip
├── WWE 13/                     # your game folder (default.xex + default.xexp + data)
├── userdata/                   # saves, DLC and settings (created on first run)
└── logs/                       # game logs (created on first run)

Updating

The launcher can keep your copy up to date by itself. When it opens it quietly checks GitHub for a newer release; if one exists, the Play page shows a Version X is available banner with What's new, Update, Not now and Skip this version. Nothing is downloaded or changed until you press Update.

Updating replaces only the program files (the game, the launcher, the shared libraries, the read me and the licence files). Everything of yours stays exactly where it is: your userdata/ saves and DLC, your WWE 13/ game files, your wwe13-enhanced.ini settings, your wwe13.toml controls, your music/, your logs/ and your backups/. Existing shader-cache files are kept; only missing ones are added. Before touching anything the launcher copies the current program files to backups/update-<version>/, so a failed install is restored automatically. The download is checked against the release's SHA-256 before it is used, and a damaged download changes nothing.

The check contacts api.github.com only and sends nothing about you or your PC. To turn it off, untick Check for updates when the launcher starts in the launcher's Settings. You can also close the banner with Not now (until the launcher restarts) or Skip this version (remembered). If the launcher cannot reach GitHub, it says nothing and starts normally.

Launcher settings

Use Recommended for This PC picks settings for your graphics card. You can also choose:

• Resolution – the sharpness the game renders at. 480p is the fastest (handhelds and integrated graphics); 720p is the original Xbox 360 sharpness; 1440p needs a strong graphics card.
• Frame rate – Classic (60 in matches, 30 in entrances and cutscenes, like the console), 60 Everywhere (needs a strong PC), or 30 Locked (steady, best for laptops and handhelds).
• Display – fullscreen or windowed (press F11 in the game to switch at any time); Graphics card – for PCs with two GPUs.
• Stretch to fill wide screens – fill a 21:9 or 16:10 screen instead of showing black bars (the 16:9 picture is stretched). Sync frames to the monitor – on by default; Windows only, turn it off if fullscreen stutters on a high refresh rate or FreeSync / G-SYNC monitor.
• Start straight away next time – skip the launcher on later starts. Hold Shift while it starts to come back to the settings.
• Content – everything you add to the game in one place: custom Superstars, Entrances, Arenas, Logos, your own entrance Music, and Save Data (Back Up Now, Restore, and imported packs).

Controls

An Xbox-compatible controller is recommended. The keyboard also works as a controller: the default keys follow modern WWE 2K games on PC - WASD move, J strike (X), L grapple (A; also confirms in menus), K Irish whip / pin (B; back in menus), Space signature / finisher (Y), 1 reversal (RT), Left Shift run (LT), U pick up / in-out of the ring (LB), Left Ctrl limb targeting (RB), arrow keys taunts (D-pad), Esc pause. See and change every key on the launcher's Controls page. When the game's on-screen keyboard is open (for example, naming a story), you can type with your PC keyboard and paste with Ctrl+V. Names are upper case, like on the console.

Saves and DLC

The game keeps saves, DLC and settings in userdata/ beside the launcher. It is local to this installation; use Back Up Now under Content → Save Data in the launcher (or copy the folder) before moving or replacing a release.

Adding creations

Open Content in the launcher and pick a category (Superstars, Entrances, Arenas or Logos). Add… selects Xbox 360 creation packages (Superstar .cas, Entrance .enc, Arena .car, Paint Tool logo .pt); Add a folder… imports a whole folder of them. Each list shows the in-game name and slot and can be sorted by name, slot or date. The launcher backs up your saves before changing anything. You can also drag package files onto the page.

Some creation packs include a matching SaveData.dat file that lists their custom slots. Use Content → Save Data → Replace current save… to import it; this replaces your current WWE '13 progress, so the launcher asks you to confirm and makes a backup first. Items imported together this way form a pack: remove them with Remove pack under Save Data, which also puts your save back the way it was before the import. Removing one item of a pack on its own would make the game report missing content, so the launcher does not allow it.

Some older entrance packages use title ID 54510890 rather than WWE '13's 545108B4. The launcher stores these entrances under WWE '13's save title ID and tells you so; it does not modify the source package. Back up your saves before trying packages from an unfamiliar pack.

Known issues

• 1080p is hidden in the launcher for now: at that resolution the crowd can show glitches.
• Some shadow and lighting differences remain compared to the console.
• 480p: the reversal button prompt that appears over a wrestler is drawn too far up and to the left. 720p and higher are not affected.
• 60 Everywhere: entrances and cutscenes run in slow motion whenever your graphics card cannot keep 60 fps, because the game's timing follows the frame rate. Use Classic (the default) if that happens.
• Extract the release to a normal folder, not C:\Program Files: the launcher keeps your saves and settings next to itself (it warns you if the folder is read-only).
• Only the exact title update 2.0.1.0 is supported; other regions, game revisions or title updates are refused.
• In menus, the modern keyboard keys confirm with L and go back with K (they follow the controller's A and B buttons).

Reporting bugs

Press Save a Bug Report (logs + settings) at the bottom of the launcher. It saves a wwe13-bug-report-<date>.zip next to the launcher with the latest game logs, your launcher settings and basic PC information (graphics card, system); no game files or saves. Attach it to a new issue on this repository's Issues page and describe what happened. If the game crashed, its log ends with a crash report that shows exactly where.

Building from source

This is a developer build, not a one-command player install. Full guide: docs/BUILDING.md.

1. ./tools/setup.sh downloads the ReXGlue SDK next to this repository (../tools/rexglue), applies this project's SDK changes from rexglue-patches/, and builds it.
2. Copy your own default.xex and default.xexp (title update 2.0.1.0) into game/, then run ./tools/codegen.sh.
3. Build with ./tools/build-linux.sh or (cross-compiled from Linux) ./tools/build-windows.sh.

game/, generated/ and all retail files stay local: they are never committed or redistributed.

Credits

• ReXGlue SDK — Xbox 360 PowerPC-to-x64 recompilation runtime and tooling; this project builds on the rexglue-sdk-yukes fork. ReXGlue is based in part on work from Xenia, the Xbox 360 emulator project.
• Xenia contributors — foundational Xbox 360 system and GPU research/code acknowledged by the ReXGlue SDK.
• WWE '13 and all related game material are the property of their respective rights holders. This project is unofficial and is not endorsed by them.

Licensed under the BSD 3-Clause License (LICENSE); see also DISCLAIMER.md.