Microsoft is bringing original Xbox games to PC with backward compatibility - Digital Trends

Your old Xbox library just found a new home. Microsoft has launched Xbox Backward Compatibility on PC, letting you play classic original Xbox titles on Windows and handhelds for the very first time.

Four classic titles kick off the program today. You can jump into Blinx: The Time Sweeper, Conker: Live and Reloaded, Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge, and Fuzion Frenzy right now on supported PCs and handhelds like the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X.

Each game is available to purchase individually, and all four come included with every Xbox Game Pass tier. If you already own a digital license for these titles on console, that license carries straight over to your PC or handheld. Thanks to Xbox Play Anywhere and Xbox Cloud Gaming, your saves and access follow you across console, cloud, PC, and handheld alike.

Here are the minimum and recommended specs by Microsoft:

What upgrades come with these classic games?

These aren’t just straight emulated ports. You get real PC enhancements, including up to 4x resolution upscaling, VSync support, fullscreen and windowed display modes, anisotropic filtering, and enhanced anti-aliasing. Customizable language and audio settings round out the list.

There’s one thing missing, though. Xbox achievements, a heavily requested feature for years, aren’t part of today’s launch. Microsoft says they’re coming to these four games and future backward compatibility titles through an update later this year.

This launch also lands at an interesting moment for Xbox, following a stretch of layoffs and studio closures. It’s also tied to bigger plans, including the upcoming Project Helix console and a disc-to-digital program that would let you convert physical game collections into digital licenses.

These four games are just the beginning. If Microsoft keeps this momentum going, your entire Xbox history might eventually follow you wherever you choose to play.