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    Rejoice! Microsoft’s Xbox Backwards Compatibility Program is coming back in 2026 — “we’re committed to keeping games from four generations of Xbox playable”



    For Xbox's 25th anniversary, Microsoft has announced the return of Backwards Compatibility at GDC.

    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."

    "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," wrote VP of next generation Jason Ronald in his summary of the presentation.

    Posted by ControlCAD

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    22 Comments

    2. Gameofthrones3058 on

      Curious actually what sort of games this might be because licensing issues on the ones they couldn’t do likely aren’t coming back ?

    3. SolotheCyberpunK on

      “New ways to play” For me it means playing backward compatible games on PC

    4. Chief_Survirus on

      Please.

      They gave us EVERY Star Wars game that has come out.

      But not Obi-Wan.

      Please, Xbox. Just that one and Brute Force!

    5. shadowsarrow on

      i want to belive they will actounty bring some good ones back like the old spiderman egdge of tine shatted dimones web of shadows simpones family but they said for a long time and nothing happened yet

    7. laszlotuss on

      Too bad Kinect will left out of all of this.

      But yeah, there are plenty of more titles we miss or which wa handled bad even on Xbox One

    8. xNeoNxCyaN on

      Hey look, all I’m saying is I wouldn’t be mad if we got Spyro: a hero’s tail and crash tag team racing for backwards compatibility

    9. Kliptik81 on

      As long they continue the program on the Series X/S, ill be happy. I just want Eternal Sonata to be playable on my Series S.

    10. crottin-de-cheval on

      Does it mean Grid 2 and Dirt 3 will be playable again on Xbox One?

      The game doesn’t boot for some reason though the disc is in the console but maybe it has to do with the fact it isnt backward compatible currently. Tho i started a progression with Dirt 3 so should still be able to use it.

    11. Topher_BCK on

      Give us the Lord of The Rings Games, 007 Games and Spiderman games and we’ll do just fine.

    13. jonstarks on

      if they actually were to make the “new xbox” work with every original xbox game, I actually might buy it.

    15. Christof_P on

      Please for the love of all that is holy give me Project Gotham racing 2. I’ve played through a bunch of it on xemu, but is runs so poorly on it, I just want a proper working version of the game easily accessible. It’s such an excellent racing game.

    19. CS-10 on

      Marvel Ultimate Alliance 1 and 2 please. And while they are at it, port MUA3. Game’s too fun to be stuck on the Switch forever.

    21. Dipset_Mipset0489 on

      That doesn’t mean they’re adding to the BC list, it just means they’re keeping the status quo.