>It seems incredible to me that Microsoft would alter the execution of programs based on the filename of the executable.

This has been one of the primary ways microsoft has managed compatibility for decades.

Windows 95 had hacks based on filenames of games to make sure popular stuff worked on Windows.

Raymond Chen has an entire book! (And a free chapter about exactly this!)

https://ptgmedia.pearsoncmg.com/images/9780321440303/samplec...

They had to do these hacks for things like Wing Commander, Simcity, even Microsoft Office itself needed massive hacks (to the point that a significant portion of the profanity in the Windows 2000 source leaks is explicitly calling the Office team a bunch of idiots and losers who don't know what they are doing)

>For all we know, there was another game with the same filename and this game has been caught in the crossfire

Microsoft has been doing this for 30 years and I am unaware of even one case of "program got wrong compatibility hacks"! It would be unlikely to be reported well so that's not great evidence, but it's been a massive success.