To date, the Xbox Backwards Compatibility program remains a hallmark of game preservation, making dozens upon dozens of original Xbox and Xbox 360 titles fully playable on modern Xbox hardware, sometimes even with little enhancements like graphics boosts. However, like all good things, it came to an end back in 2021, with one final massive batch of titles.
Though the program has not seen any new titles since then, Xbox owners can still enjoy the fruits of the endeavor. However, not every game is available digitally, and some have even been delisted since their initial announcement.
Disc versions of available backwards compatible titles still remain playable.
In a particularly weird glitch first spotted by Pure Xbox, for a brief moment, several delisted titles were temporarily relisted online, sparking some speculation that the program or some variation of it could return.
It first happened on March 25, with Armed and Dangerous being available, albeit at $100 and with the wrong release date before being yanked.
Then, as redphx noted on Twitter, it happened again with Aegis Wing and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. That it’s happened on more than one occasion is particularly weird.
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For all we know, this could be a nothingburger, similar to instances in which delisted Activision titles like Deadpool and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance have received backend Steam Updates.
Hopes For A Return Of The Program Have Continued
Recently, Microsoft revealed that “new ways” to play some of its classic games would be coming at some point over the course of this year, the 25th anniversary of Xbox.
“We’re committed to keeping games from four generations of Xbox playable for years to come,” VP of next generation Jason Ronald said. “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.”
Right now, the leading theory is the ability to enjoy the library of games on Windows 11, though anything is possible. In the background of all this is a massive fan-led survey that has gamers voicing their opinions about what games should be made backwards compatible.
To no surprise, The Simpsons: Hit and Run, as well as Spider-Man 2 are among the highest voted games. However, just like with the real program, there’s no shortage of “bad” titles that are getting love, too.
- Brand
-
Microsoft
- Original Release Date
-
November 10, 2020
- Original MSRP (USD)
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$499
- Operating System
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Proprietary (Windows-based)
- Processor
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Custom AMD 8-core Zen 2 3.8 GHz
- Resolution
-
720p – 4K UHD
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