The infamous Xbox One era was a pretty dark time for Microsoft’s gaming brand, but it wasn’t without its bright spots in doom and gloom. Apart from the introduction of Xbox Game Pass In 2017, the most impressive of them was the start of the Xbox Backward Compatibility Program in 2015.
Xbox users quickly became very passionate about backward compatibility and They have remained that way ever since.such as the ability to play older Xbox 360 and original Xbox titles on modern consoles allow for the preservation of classic games that we would otherwise struggle to enjoy on current hardware. More than 600 titles were made backwards compatible, but Microsoft stopped planning new additions in 2021 due to licensing issues.
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This happened again, this time with Aegis Wing and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. What is happening? Meanwhile, Mars: War Logs (X360) was delisted without warning. https://t.co/2eKp2ZnvvI pic.twitter.com/cwykCPFSFCApril 3, 2026
Store errors like these have This has been known to happen on occasion, and if only one or two had occurred, people probably wouldn’t have thought much about it. The fact that four The delisted Xbox and Xbox 360 games were released for a short time in such a tight time frame; However, many wonder if something deeper is going on here.
In fact, as we know that Microsoft is reviving the Xbox Backwards Compatibility Program in some capacity, there is speculation that the publisher has leaked some of the older titles that will soon be playable on Xbox Series|S devices (and Xbox One). That’s just a guess, of course, but given the proximity and frequency of these erroneous changes, it arguably has merit.
That said, the return of Xbox backwards compatibility has not been confirmed to add new games to the existing library of titles that support it. All we know is that Microsoft is “launching new ways to play,” which could mean the ability to play old Xbox games on different platforms.
Specifically, with the PC-console hybrid Project Helix It is expected to arrive in 2027 or 2028 and an “Xbox mode” is coming to Windows 11 PCs this monthmany believe the company will soon introduce a way to play Xbox and Xbox 360 games on PCs and portable Windows devices like the Xbox Ally. That would be a massive upgrade to Xbox backwards compatibility and lay the groundwork for support in Project Helix.
That’s also just speculation, although I’d say it’s very likely due to the nature of Project Helix. Even if that’s ultimately the reason the Xbox Backwards Compatibility Program is returning, I hope its team can add a few more games to its catalog as well.
🗨️ What Xbox games would you like to see backwards compatible?
Even if the Xbox Backward Compatibility Program won’t necessarily return to bring new games to your library, the possibility that it will is very exciting. I’m also curious to hear from you: what Xbox or Xbox 360 games would you like to see backwards compatible?
Share with me some of your favorite titles that aren’t already in the comments, as I’d love to read about the games you used to play.
Join us at Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your ideas and discuss our latest news, reviews and more.
