WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

  • Microsoft expanded its backward compatibility program with more than 20 classic Xbox games on PC.
  • The initiative is part of Xbox’s commitment to preserving backward compatibility.
  • The new additions include 21 classics, joining the 4 games that were already available.
  • Some of these titles now feature Achievements, something they didn’t have in their original Xbox versions.

Xbox is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and its approach to gaming has changed considerably over the past two decades. Today, the conversation is no longer just about consoles, but about a gaming ecosystem in which PC plays an important role. That’s why there’s some important news for players on this platform.

One of Microsoft’s biggest gaming initiatives is its backward compatibility program, which currently covers games from up to four Xbox generations. Starting today, PC players can give more than 20 classics from the original console a new lease on life.

XBOX PC

Xbox Brings More Than 20 Original Console Games to PC and Handheld Devices

Last summer, Jason Ronald, head of next-generation Xbox, promised that there would be news about improvements to the backward compatibility program this year.

That promise has now been fulfilled. A few moments ago, Xbox chief Asha Sharma announced that 25 original Xbox games would become available to PC players starting today.

The release includes 21 classic original Xbox titles in PC versions, and some of them feature a new Achievements system that wasn’t available when they originally launched.

These games are now available through the Microsoft Store and Xbox app, and can be played on PC and handheld devices such as ASUS’s ROG Xbox Ally lineup:

  • Armed and Dangerous
  • BLiNX: The Time Sweeper
  • Conker: Live and Reloaded
  • Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge
  • Disney’s Chicken Little
  • The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
  • Fuzion Frenzy
  • Grabbed by the Ghoulies
  • Indiana Jones and the Emperor’s Tomb
  • Red Faction II
  • Secret Weapons Over Normandy
  • Star Wars Battlefront
  • Star Wars Battlefront II
  • Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
  • Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
  • Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
  • Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter
  • Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
  • Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords
  • Star Wars: Republic Commando
  • Star Wars: Starfighter – Special Edition
  • Star Wars: The Clone Wars
  • Thrillville
  • TimeSplitters 2
  • TimeSplitters: Future Perfect

Can I Play These Classic Xbox Games on PC If I Have Windows 10?

In its official announcement, Microsoft revealed the list of games and confirmed their immediate availability, but it also mentioned a specific requirement for playing them.

According to the announcement, all 25 backward-compatible Xbox games will only work on PCs running Windows 11. In other words, you need to have Microsoft’s latest operating system to enjoy these titles. If you’re still using Windows 10, we have bad news: you won’t be able to play them.