Microsoft launches Xbox backward compatibility on PC and portable consoles. What will change?

Microsoft is launching the Xbox Backward Compatibility on PC program, which enables running classic games from the original Xbox on computers and supported portable devices. 

The company announced this.

The program will start in early access with four classic games from the original Xbox console.

Which games will be available first with the new feature

The first wave of supported games includes:

• BLiNX: The Time Sweeper;
• Conker: Live and Reloaded;
• Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge;
• Fuzion Frenzy.

All four games can be purchased separately on PC, and they are already included in all Xbox Game Pass subscriptions. If a player previously purchased a digital license for the console, it is automatically transferred to PCs and portable devices.

Microsoft noted that the launch of Xbox Backward Compatibility on PC is the beginning of a broader program to preserve classic Xbox games.

Going forward, the company plans to gradually expand the list of compatible titles and add new features for PC users and portable gaming devices.

What are the system requirements to run the backward compatibility feature

To run games through the Xbox app on PC you need a PC with Windows 11 and up-to-date drivers (January 2026 versions or newer).

Minimum system requirements:

• graphics card: Nvidia GTX 950 / AMD Radeon RX 550 / Intel Arc A310 (4 GB VRAM);
• processor: 4 cores and 8 threads (Intel Core i3-10300 / AMD Ryzen 3 3100 / AMD Ryzen Z2 A);
• RAM: 8 GB.

Recommended system requirements:

• graphics card: Radeon RX 6800S / Nvidia GTX 1070 Ti / Intel Arc A770 (8 GB VRAM);
• processor: 6 cores and 12 threads (Intel Core i5-10400 / AMD Ryzen 5 3600 / AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme);
• RAM: 16 GB.

Graphics enhancements and future plans

Besides launching classic games on PC, Microsoft has added a number of new technical features.

These include — resolution scaling up to four times, support for vertical synchronization (VSync), fullscreen and windowed modes, anisotropic filtering, improved anti-aliasing, as well as language and audio settings.

The company also said that later this year support for an achievements system will arrive for some classic games on PC and consoles. The first four games will receive this feature within the next few months.

Preserving the Xbox brand 

In April 2026 it became known that Microsoft is bringing back the Xbox brand for its gaming division instead of Microsoft Gaming?The name Microsoft Gaming was introduced by the company in 2022.. 

At that time Xbox CEO Asha Sharma held an internal meeting with company employees and announced a change in the branding structure of the gaming division. 

She stated that Microsoft is abandoning the Microsoft Gaming name and will once again use Xbox as the division’s primary identity.

The return to the Xbox division is part of Sharma’s promise regarding the «return of Xbox» strategy (return of Xbox).

This move is intended to put fans first and correct previous strategic mistakes. 

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