Earlier this month, an unexpected treasure emerged from the depths of software history—a new version of the long-abandoned Windows NT for PowerPC. Surprisingly, this iteration has been tailored for Nintendo’s GameCube and Wii consoles. Thanks to the PowerPC architecture at the heart of these platforms, the original Windows NT PowerPC releases can now run on them. Dubbed “Entii for WorkCubes” and available on GitHub, this build also technically supports the Wii U. However, it doesn’t take advantage of the Wii U’s extra PowerPC cores, larger RAM, or beefed-up AMD GPU, instead running through the virtualized Wii feature. Early development boards remain either unsupported or only theoretically compatible without testing.
For fans of homebrew who are curious to see this software in action on a GameCube, YouTuber @emukid_id has captured the installation process, some basic operations, and even low-res (320 x 200) gameplay of The Ultimate Doom. Sadly, these clips are all silent.
Despite the silent videos, Windows NT works quite smoothly—complete with configuring its classic 3D wallpapers, using Notepad, and opening Internet Explorer’s basic homepage. Interestingly, it also offers support for various peripherals more commonly seen in PC setups. Take, for example, the GameCube controller modified with a full-sized keyboard in the middle. This turns the typical controls into a set of spaced-out handles. Additionally, the USB ports on the Wii and Wii U extend peripheral compatibility even further.
There are still some limitations, though. Anyone trying to use this setup as a regular Windows NT PC in 2025 would find browsing the modern Internet nearly impossible. Even if the GameCube or Wii’s Ethernet adapters worked, their online capabilities would be highly restricted.
Nevertheless, this build provides a fascinating glimpse into Windows NT and the PowerPC era before Windows NT 3.5. Seeing Doom playable on a GameCube is nothing short of remarkable. Meanwhile, the Wii offers similar performance but with a CPU that’s essentially an overclocked version of the GameCube’s and an upgraded GPU.
If Windows NT 3.5 or a subsequent version ever fully utilized the Wii U, it could offer a substantial performance boost. The console’s 1GB of DDR3 RAM and triple PowerPC CPU cores are quite an upgrade over the GameCube and Wii’s single-core design. The GameCube, for instance, ran on a meager 24MB of RAM, supplemented by tiny dedicated allocations for its video and I/O operations.
