Xbox Game Pass has been updated to include some classic noughties titles, while other retro games are now available on PC and handheld.
READ MORE: Xbox Game Pass 2026: what’s new and what’s worth playing?
Earlier this year, Microsoft confirmed it would be bringing back its Backwards Compatibility Program. The initiative 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.”
The program was paused in 2021 (“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”) but was revived earlier this year, following the announcement of Project Helix.
New tech shouldn’t mean leaving behind old games. Today XBOX is launching new tech so you can play the OG XBOX games you own, but now on PC and handhelds https://t.co/0XwdEiQ6Ot
— ASHA (@asha_shar) July 22, 2026
“We’re committed to keeping games from four generations of Xbox playable for years to come,” said Xbox’sJason Ronald. “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.”
Now, the first wave of new additions to Microsoft’s Backwards Compatibility Program have been confirmed. Noughties classic Conker: Live And Reloaded has been added to Xbox Game Pass’ Essential, Premium and PC tiers.
Conker: Live and Reloaded is now available with Xbox Game Pass.
Yes, really. It happened https://t.co/T8cYNLOgQQ pic.twitter.com/rHawBBaYw7
— Klobrille (@klobrille) July 22, 2026
Four original Xbox titles have also been updated to work on PC and on handhelds such as the Xbox ROG Ally – Conker: Live And Reloaded, BLiNX: The Time Sweeper, Crimson Skies: High Road To Revenge and Fuzion Frenzy. “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,” Microsoft explained in a blog post, with more titles set to be added in the future.
“New tech shouldn’t mean leaving behind old games. Today Xbox is launching new tech so you can play the OG Xbox games you own, but now on PC and handhelds,” added new boss Asha Sharma.
In other news, Nintendo boss Shigeru Miyamoto has defended remaking classic games after the gaming giants resisted Star Fox and The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time.
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