XBOX Backward Compatibility on PC enters “early release”
Pure awesome! Xbox backwards compatibility is coming to PC
Xbox has announced Xbox (original) backwards compatibility on PC, launching four classic Xbox games as part of the feature’s “early release”. This is the first time that original Xbox games have been officially made available on PC, and Microsoft intends to expand this option with new features and more supported games in the future.
Microsoft wants gamers to be able to bring their gaming libraries forward with them. This is why Microsoft is bringing Xbox games to PC for the first time. Note that Microsoft has not confirmed support for games from other Xbox platforms on PC. That said, this looks like Microsoft’s direction of travel.
Today, we’re introducing XBOX Backward Compatibility on PC, making it easier to play classic XBOX games from the past across PC and handhelds, including the ROG XBOX Ally and XBOX Ally X.
Your library is more than just a collection of games. It is your personal history of epic stories and treasured memories from the past. And as players, we don’t want to leave our gaming legacy behind even as technology continues to evolve and advance. We expect our library of games to move forward with us and to be able to play them in entirely new ways.
Rolling out today, XBOX Backward Compatibility on PC launches in early release, starting with four classic original XBOX games, now playable on PC and handhelds for the first time ever. This marks the beginning of a broader effort to preserve XBOX games from the past and bring them to PC over time. And we are not just enabling you to play them on PC. We are also adding new features to make your gaming experience better than ever.
– Xbox
With the early release of this feature, four games will be supported. These are BLiNX: The Time Sweeper, Conker: Live and Reloaded, Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge, and Fuzion Frenzy. All four of these games are available through Xbox Game Pass and will be available on PC for gamers who already own a digital license. PC gamers can now purchase these games on PC and play them on their desktop PCs, laptops, and PC handhelds.
Extra features for PC gamers
PC gamers will be able to play these classic Xbox titles with enhanced visuals. 4x resolution upscaling will be available alongside V-Sync, anisotropic filtering, enhanced anti-aliasing, and more. Gamers can also enable fullscreen and windowed modes for these games.
In time, Microsoft plans to deliver more features and release more original Xbox games on PC. Microsoft also confirmed that achievements will be coming to original Xbox games on PC and consoles.
In addition to making these games available on PC for the first time ever, we’ve added new features to enhance the experience on PC while preserving the original gameplay. Players can customize graphics settings, including up to 4x resolution upscaling, VSync support, Fullscreen and Windowed display modes, anisotropic filtering, enhanced anti-aliasing, and more. These games also include customizable language and audio settings.
We plan to add even more features to XBOX Backward Compatibility games in the future. I’m excited to share that later this year we will be bringing one of the top fan-requested features to select original XBOX games on both console and PC: Achievements. The first four games releasing in preview today will be updated to include Achievements in the coming months
– Xbox
Xbox Backwards Compatibility on PC system requirements
Minimum system requirements:
- GPU: Nvidia GTX 950 or AMD Radeon RX 550 or Intel UHD 770 or Intel Arc A310
- CPU: Min 4 Cores Intel Core i3-8100 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200 or AMD Ryzen™ Z2 A Processor
- RAM: 8GB
- OS: Windows 11
- Drivers and Versions: Latest Version as of January 2026
Recommended specifications:
- GPU: Radeon RX 68005 or Nvidia GTX 1070 Ti or Intel Arc A770
- CPU: 6 cores and 12 threads Intel Core i5-10400 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 or AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme
- DirectX Version: DirectX12 API, Hardware Feature Level 11
- GPU VRAM: 8GB
- OS: Windows 11
- Drivers and Versions: Latest Version as of January 2026
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