- Microsoft confirms its Xbox Backwards Compatibility Program is returning in some form this year
- The company has recommitted to the program for its future consoles
- It will be “rolling out new ways to play some of the most iconic games from our past” this year
Microsoft has recommitted to its Xbox Backwards Compatibility Program for its future consoles and confirmed it will return in some form later this year.
During its keynote at GDC 2026, where brand new details about Project Helix were announced, Jason Ronald, VP, next generation, Microsoft, confirmed that it will be sharing new ways to play some of its most popular Xbox games sometime this year (via Windows Central).
“We’re committed to keeping games from four generations of Xbox playable for years to come. As part of our 25th anniversary later this year, we’ll be rolling out new ways to play some of the most iconic games from our past,” Ronald added in an Xbox Wire post.
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“As games increasingly span devices, we’re breaking down the barriers between console and PC games for more seamless cross-device play, and we’re making the Xbox experience consistent across screens. This also gives developers a simpler, more unified path to reach more players while helping reduce development costs.”
The Xbox Backwards Compatibility Program was announced in 2015 and allows players to play older games released for the original Xbox, Xbox 360, and Xbox One to be played on current-gen hardware like the Xbox Series X.
In 2021, the last wave of backward compatible titles was released, and Microsoft said that there were no plans to add more games.
“While we continue to stay focused on preserving and enhancing the art form of games, we have reached the limit of our ability to bring new games to the catalog from the past due to licensing, legal and technical constraints,” it said at the time.
Microsoft also announced that an ‘Xbox mode’, a full-screen controller-friendly interface for Windows 11, will be arriving in April.
Now that the company has recommitted to its Xbox Backwards Compatibility Program, there’s a likelihood that classic Xbox and Xbox 360 games will be playable on Windows 11 PCs soon, as well as its next PC/console hybrid console, Project Helix.
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