Microsoft Launches Xbox Backward Compatibility Program to Bring Classic Games to PC

Microsoft has introduced an Xbox Backward Compatibility program for PC that allows players to run a selection of classic Xbox games on computers and handheld devices, according to reporting from Tom's Hardware and Engadget.

The rollout starts with four titles: BLiNX: The Time Sweeper, Conker: Live and Reloaded, Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge, and Fuzion Frenzy. All four are available to buy on PC and are included across Xbox Game Pass plans. Players who already own the games digitally on console can also access them on PC or handheld, with support for Xbox Play Anywhere and Xbox Cloud Gaming. The games are compatible with handhelds including the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X.

Microsoft described the launch as the start of a wider effort to preserve older Xbox games and bring them to PC over time, in a blog post attributed to Jason Ronald, Xbox's VP of next generation. Tom's Hardware noted that this is a digital-only preservation effort, meaning it does not benefit players who hold only physical copies.