diff --git a/libretro-common/streams/file_stream.c b/libretro-common/streams/file_stream.c
index 77178b9fc9..12d5498d88 100644
--- a/libretro-common/streams/file_stream.c
+++ b/libretro-common/streams/file_stream.c
@@ -78,10 +78,17 @@ struct RFILE
 
 #define HAVE_BUFFERED_IO 1
 
+#if (defined(_MSC_VER) && _MSC_VER < 1400) || defined(_XBOX) || !defined(_WIN32)
 #define MODE_STR_READ "r"
 #define MODE_STR_READ_UNBUF "rb"
 #define MODE_STR_WRITE_UNBUF "wb"
 #define MODE_STR_WRITE_PLUS "w+"
+#else
+#define MODE_STR_READ L"r"
+#define MODE_STR_READ_UNBUF L"rb"
+#define MODE_STR_WRITE_UNBUF L"wb"
+#define MODE_STR_WRITE_PLUS L"w+"
+#endif
 
 #if defined(HAVE_BUFFERED_IO)
    FILE *fp;
@@ -138,11 +145,16 @@ RFILE *filestream_open(const char *path, unsigned mode, ssize_t len)
    int            flags = 0;
    int         mode_int = 0;
 #if defined(HAVE_BUFFERED_IO)
+#if (defined(_MSC_VER) && _MSC_VER < 1400) || defined(_XBOX) || !defined(_WIN32)
    const char *mode_str = NULL;
+#else
+   const wchar_t *mode_str = NULL;
+#endif
 #endif
    RFILE        *stream = (RFILE*)calloc(1, sizeof(*stream));
 #if defined(_WIN32) && !defined(_XBOX)
    char       *path_local = NULL;
+   wchar_t    *path_wide = NULL;
 #endif
 
    if (!stream)
@@ -233,10 +245,19 @@ RFILE *filestream_open(const char *path, unsigned mode, ssize_t len)
    if ((stream->hints & RFILE_HINT_UNBUFFERED) == 0 && mode_str)
    {
 #if defined(_WIN32) && !defined(_XBOX)
+#if defined(_MSC_VER) && _MSC_VER < 1400 || defined(_XBOX)
+      (void)path_wide;
       path_local = utf8_to_local_string_alloc(path);
       stream->fp = fopen(path_local, mode_str);
       if (path_local)
          free(path_local);
+#else
+      (void)path_local;
+      path_wide = utf8_to_utf16_string_alloc(path);
+      stream->fp = _wfopen(path_wide, mode_str);
+      if (path_wide)
+         free(path_wide);
+#endif
 #else
       stream->fp = fopen(path, mode_str);
 #endif
@@ -248,10 +269,19 @@ RFILE *filestream_open(const char *path, unsigned mode, ssize_t len)
    {
       /* FIXME: HAVE_BUFFERED_IO is always 1, but if it is ever changed, open() needs to be changed to _wopen() for WIndows. */
 #if defined(_WIN32) && !defined(_XBOX)
+#if defined(_MSC_VER) && _MSC_VER < 1400 || defined(_XBOX)
+      (void)path_wide;
       path_local = utf8_to_local_string_alloc(path);
       stream->fd = open(path_local, flags, mode_int);
       if (path_local)
          free(path_local);
+#else
+      (void)path_local;
+      path_wide = utf8_to_utf16_string_alloc(path);
+      stream->fd = _wopen(path_wide, flags, mode_int);
+      if (path_wide)
+         free(path_wide);
+#endif
 #else
       stream->fd = open(path, flags, mode_int);
 #endif