Xbox seems to be planning a move that would bring classic games from the Xbox 360 era to PC. Released as a follow-up to the original Xbox in 2005, the Xbox 360 remains Microsoft’s most successful video game console. The system sold more than 80 million units during its time on the market, and played host to a number of beloved games, including several critically-acclaimed exclusives.
Backwards compatibility has been a major focus for Xbox throughout the current console generation. Xbox has made a concerted effort to keep many of its older games playable on modern platforms, and users have multiple options for discovering these games. Physical discs are still supported for many of the games released on the original Xbox and Xbox 360, and those same games can be purchased on the Microsoft Store. Many can even be found on Xbox Game Pass. Original Xbox games have also come to PC, including games like Crimson Skies and Blinx: The Time Sweeper.
Bringing Xbox 360 Favorites to PC Users
According to a report from The Verge, Microsoft is making plans to expand its backwards compatibility program for Xbox 360 games, bringing them to PC at some point in the future. Many digital and physical Xbox 360 games are playable on Xbox Series X/S, but Microsoft is apparently making efforts to expand those options to PC, as well. Many Xbox 360 games have never been available on PC, and the move could attract new audiences as a result. The company is apparently talking to third-party partners, who will have the opportunity to set pricing.
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The program has not been officially announced at this time, but it would make sense given the recent decision to bring original Xbox games to PC. It’s been speculated that these games will offer support for the Xbox Play Anywhere program, which would mean that those who purchase the game on an Xbox console would then be able to play it on PC or handheld devices such as the ROG Xbox Ally.
Xbox has struggled throughout the current console generation, as the brand has been unable to compete with PlayStation and Nintendo. Xbox games have sold well on other platforms, but many of the brand’s passionate fans have been unhappy with the idea of the company’s exclusives showing up on systems like PS5. PC is a different story though, and it seems like a lot of Xbox 360 owners that moved on to PC are excited by the prospect of playing older favorites that remain stranded on the platform.
The report does not offer any indication which Xbox 360 games might come to PC at the start, and until Microsoft makes an announcement, fans will have to wait patiently to see how things pan out. Reminding gamers why they once loved the brand could be a positive strategy, and it could also prove to be a reliable source of income at a time when the Xbox division is trying to become more profitable. Games cost a lot of money to make, and bringing a bunch of existing classics to PC also seems like a way to help rebuild the ailing Xbox brand.
