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[gokurho]

Big news! The Xbox backwards compatibility program may return, exciting gamers everywhere!
Classic Xbox games could become playable again on modern systems!
The plan is tied to the upcoming Xbox 25th Anniversary celebrations!
Microsoft wants to keep games from four generations of Xbox playable!
Classics from the original Xbox and Xbox 360 may shine again!
It's a major step forward for preserving gaming history!
A new golden era for classic Xbox games might be on the horizon!

Microsoft's Xbox Backwards Compatibility program is coming back this year

During its GDC keynote, Microsoft and Xbox announced that the Xbox Backwards Compatibility Program is returning in some fashion later this year.

www.windowscentral.com

Microsoft's Xbox team has brought a handful of beneficial features to players in its gaming ecosystem over the years, but for many, none are as valuable or important as backwards compatibility. Ever since the departing Xbox CEO Phil Spencer famously announced the Xbox Backwards Compatibility Program in 2015, it's been a core part of the Xbox experience.

Xbox fans are extremely passionate about backwards compatibility and the ability to play their old games released for the Xbox 360 and the original Xbox, so much so that a petition for the initiative's return is surging online right now. Notably, Microsoft made every game it could backwards compatible, but tragically announced no new games were planned in 2021 due to legal issues with licensing.

During its keynote at GDC 2026 (Game Developers Conference), though, the Xbox team surprised fans with the announcement that the Xbox Backwards Compatibility Program is returning in some form later this year, noting that it's "rolling out new ways to play some of the most iconic games from our past."

All hail Phil Spencer!

 

[ReasonBeing]

There were go, great news. Hoping for Chronicles of Riddick and All Pro Football 2k7

 

[RedC]

So far, it just seems like they're adding new ways to play the games that were already made BC to Xbox.

I won't get excited until they announce adding new OG Xbox and Xbox 360 games to BC.

 

[Gamer_By_Proxy]

Rejoice! Xbox officially left the console market.

 

[reinking]

All hail Phil Spencer!

If we are doing this the Microsoft way we should all hail Asha Sharma.

Spoiler

 

[intbal]

Without JSRF, does it really matter?

 

[adamsapple]

I know they ran into publisher related snags before but at the minimum they should try to bring Activision backlog into the BC fold.

 

[intbal]

I know they ran into publisher related snags before but at the minimum they should try to bring Activision backlog into the BC fold.

Well...

 

[ReasonBeing]

I know they ran into publisher related snags before but at the minimum they should try to bring Activision backlog into the BC fold.

What I'm hoping for is base level compatibility through hardware that is game agnostic. They would only run into issues with publishers if they sold or distributed games without permission. Allowing someone to play their old game discs should be fair game.

From what I understand, Nintendo didn't have to rework deals with Wii game publishers when migrating to the Wii U due to them including the Wii hardware in the Wii U and by allowing the OG Wii store to work natively on said hardware. That's how they were able to offer every game available on the Wii shop without running into licensing issues. That is why you had to essentially boot into a separate Wii mode.

I could be misunderstanding the situation, so I am happy to be proven wrong. I'm also probably asking for too much.

Edit: well, I just actually read the source. This has nothing to do with potential disc compatibility, but here is to hoping.

 

[adamsapple]

Well...

Yah, there's a surprisingly decent list of games that are missing from BC that I would love to see.

Especially more original Xbox games as well, would be so awesome having the original Fatal Frame 1 and 2 in pillar boxed 4K/60.

 

[Kacho]

"Some" is doing the heavy lifting in that statement.

Guessing they will bring first party titles over to PC and maybe a select few third party. Wouldn't get too excited.

 

[Humdinger]

So far, it just seems like they're adding new ways to play the games that were already made BC to Xbox.

Yeah. In fact, that's the exact quote: "rolling out new ways to play."

Not new games to play. New ways to play -- presumably, play games that are BC already.

At least that's how it reads to me.

I won't get excited until they announce adding new OG Xbox and Xbox 360 games to BC.

Yup.

 

[dragonyeuw]

I won't get excited until they announce adding new OG Xbox and Xbox 360 games to BC.

They spent 70B or whatever the number was on the ABK deal. Unless there's some licensing snags( and with all the recent releases that seems to not be an issue anymore), where the fuck are all the Activision Marvel games?!

 

[Esppiral]

Jet Set Radio Future.
Lost Odissey 4k 60fps.

Bye and thanks

 

[yurinka]

Jet Set Radio Future.
Lost Odissey 4k 60fps.

Bye and thanks

And Blue Dragon.

 

[evanft]

There's absolutely nothing indicating any changes to BC. The headline, as expected from a rag like Windows Central, is bullshit. These are the relevant quotes.

"rolling out new ways to play some of the most iconic games from our past."

"And, 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,"

Nothing about new games coming. Nothing about what "new ways to play" actually means. Just the usual mushy-mouthed corpo bullshit we get from Microsoft.

 

[Hyper_hyper]

"Compatibility Program is returning in some form later this year, noting that it's "rolling out new ways to play some of the most iconic games from our past."

Some, some, some, some, some....

 

[YeulEmeralda]

There were go, great news. Hoping for Chronicles of Riddick and All Pro Football 2k7

Chronicles of Riddick is unlikely because it was pulled from GOG.

 

[StereoVsn]

There's absolutely nothing indicating any changes to BC. The headline, as expected from a rag like Windows Central, is bullshit. These are the relevant quotes.


Nothing about new games coming. Nothing about what "new ways to play" actually means. Just the usual mushy-mouthed corpo bullshit we get from Microsoft.

So basically probably putting the already existing BC games on streaming or maybe making them available for Helix when that releases.

 

[Xion4360]

I just want DOAX and DOAX2

 

[LiquidMetal14]

Anything they say will make their game throb

The janitor is in charge

 

[schaft0620]

I think they are going to find a way to port the first party and Activision games to PC that were on Xbox and Xbox 360.

This will only be a big deal if it includes Blue Dragon and Mechassault.

 

[GriffinCorp]

I love this idea, but Microsoft has burned so many of us over the years. They start something great, then pivot mid‑way and abandon what was working. The Xbox 360 era was incredible at first, then suddenly everything shifted to Kinect. The Xbox One launch was rough, the One X was fantastic, then backward compatibility came in and gave the platform real momentum.

I was excited again with the Series X—more BC games, strong hardware—but the second half of the generation has been disappointing. They even shut down the BC program entirely. Now they're talking about one more console/PC hybrid before going third‑party, and honestly, if that's the plan, they should bring the BC program back. They should never have stopped it in the first place. It gave people a real reason to stay invested in the ecosystem.

I'd love to see more OG Xbox and 360 titles return. Xbox in the early 2000s was top‑tier, and it would be a shame to buy into yet another new console only to watch something I genuinely appreciated get shut down again.

 

[Celcius]

Jet Set Radio Future and the DOAX games, otherwise no point

 

[Ellis]

They could and should look into bringing part of this over to PS5 and Switch too. For the few OG Xbox's first party games. And maybe a couple of the 360 only games.

They'll make a few quid from those that only stuck with GC and PS2 that generation.

But yeah. Props where it is due on the BC program if they actually stick to it. Can't knock them for that.

 

[Ellis]

would be so awesome having the original Fatal Frame 1 and 2 in pillar boxed 4K/60.

This would need to include the awesome undub/uncensoring PS2 mods for both games courtesy of Wagrenier

The older Xbox undub mods were hit and miss.

 

[Negotiator101]

If we are doing this the Microsoft way we should all hail Asha Sharma.

Spoiler

Phil's not gone till September I believe he's helping Asha transition into her role.

 

[FingerBang]

If Helix is basically a PC running Windows which can also run Xbox games, I'd imagine nothing is stopping them (from a technical point of view) from running those same games on PC.

Yes, this might be a pain in the ass when it comes to licensing, but I'd imagine they'd be able to sell a lot of stuff they own and that was previously approved.

 

[DreamcastSkies]

I really respect the commitment to backwards compatibility on Xbox consoles.

 

[Pasta la Vista]

Yeah the wording doesn't say they are actually bringing any new games to the backwards compatibility. We'll see I guess.

 

[reinking]

Phil's not gone till September I believe he's helping Asha transition into her role.

He is her assistant.

 

[Three]

Yeah. In fact, that's the exact quote: "rolling out new ways to play."

Not new games to play. New ways to play -- presumably, play games that are BC already.

At least that's how it reads to me.



Yup.

You can read it both ways. New games would still be new ways to play that game. I suspect they're bringing PC support to the already BC catalogue though.

 

[Guardian Monkey]

Coming to Xbox? Do we know what that is now? Do they?

 

[Humdinger]

You can read it both ways. New games would still be new ways to play that game. I suspect they're bringing PC support to the already BC catalogue though.

Maybe. All I know is that if my library told me they were going to offer "new ways to read," I would expect they were talking about new tech, a new loan program, something like that -- not new books on the shelf.

I hope I'm wrong and they are restarting the BC program. That would be more interesting.

 

[Badlucktroll]

 

[Gonzito]

They should focus on making new games that are good rather than focusing on backwards compatibility in my opinion. Spencer focused a lot in backwards compatibility and I always had the feeling they were doing that to compensate for the lack of new games. I hope this is not the same situation