Microsoft has announced that a number of “iconic” games from the original Xbox and Xbox 360 will be returning later this year.

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Microsoft’s Backwards Compatibility Program was first launched in 2015 and let gamers play “thousands” of Xbox, 360 and Xbox One titles on modern consoles. The company explained that the Backwards Compatibility Program aimed to “not only preserve the games you know and love, but also to enhance them using the latest technology so they look and play better than ever before while still staying true to the original creator’s vision.” 

In 2021, Microsoft announced no further games would be added to the library. “We have reached the limit of our ability to bring new games to the catalog from the past due to licensing, legal and technical constraints.”

However following the reveal of Project Helix, last night (March 11) Microsoft confirmed the Backwards Compatibility Program would be returning this year. “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,” said Xbox’s Jason Ronald.

"As part of our 25th anniversary later this year, [the game preservation team] will release some iconic games from the past that are now going to be able to be played in entirely new ways," says Jason Ronald 2000 && fx == 1) { $('.footer-post').css({'position': 'absolute',}) } });