Microsoft’s adding achievements to original Xbox games for the first time, too.
Microsoft’s adding achievements to original Xbox games for the first time, too.
For the 25th anniversary of Xbox , Microsoft is beginning to make good on its paid “next-gen game preservation” promise. Starting today, you can play 25 different original Xbox games on your Windows PC, as long as you have (or are willing to pay) for digital copies.
In July, Microsoft originally launched the idea with just four Xbox games , so 25 is progress, and Microsoft says all these games are now playable with keyboard and mouse.
Plus, Microsoft says it’s adding achievements to original Xbox games for the first time, starting with four games: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and its sequel, Blinx: The Time Sweeper , and Conker: Live and Reloaded . You can unlock achievements playing them on Xbox One and Xbox Series consoles as well, after a system update. More games should get them in future.
Here’s the full list of Xbox on PC games, with the 21 new additions in bold:
Yes, that’s a lot of Star Wars games, most of which already have a PC version, and few games that were exclusive to Xbox at the time. (But many of those Star Wars games were excellent.)
You also won’t be able to use an original Xbox disc to play these games, I’m afraid, as original Xbox (and Xbox 360) discs aren’t part of Microsoft’s disc-to-digital program; they predate the unique serial number that Microsoft embedded into Xbox One discs. In case you’re wondering, Xbox on PC backward compatibility appears to be powered by an emulator .
Also, most of the new games aren’t currently included with Xbox Game Pass, according to Microsoft; just Blinx, Conker, Crimson Skies, Fusion Frenzy, Morrowind, and Grabbed by the Ghoulies .
Leaked Microsoft documents previously showed us that October 2026 would be the “full launch” of original Xbox games on PC, while Xbox 360 games would have a “gradual” rollout to next-gen consoles between 2027 and 2028, which arewhen Microsoft is expected to roll out a handheld and a Helix box respectively . The way things are shaping up, the Xbox Helix should play games from every generation of Xbox , even if Helix fundamentally turns out to be a Windows PC.
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