Microsoft is making significant strides in its paid next-gen game preservation initiative to mark the 25th anniversary of Xbox. Starting today, players can access 25 different original Xbox games directly on a Windows PC, provided they already own digital copies or are willing to purchase them. This update follows a modest July launch that introduced just four titles to the platform, signaling a major expansion of the tech giant's backwards compatibility catalog for personal computers.
Alongside the PC rollout, Microsoft is introducing Xbox achievements to original Xbox games for the very first time. This feature debuts with four specific titles: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and its sequel, Blinx: The Time Sweeper, and Conker: Live and Reloaded. Players can unlock these achievements on modern Xbox One and Xbox Series consoles as well, following a system update, with plans to extend the feature to more titles in the future.
Key takeaways
- Twenty-five original Xbox games are now playable on Windows PCs for users with digital copies.
- All newly supported titles feature full keyboard and mouse control integration.
- Achievements are coming to original Xbox games for the first time, starting with four classic titles.
- Original Xbox discs cannot be used for the PC feature as they lack modern verification serial numbers.
Expanding the PC Catalog and Controls
The expanded lineup includes a heavy emphasis on classic LucasArts titles, alongside several notable console exclusives and role-playing games. The complete list features Armed and Dangerous, Blinx: The Time Sweeper, Conker: Live and Reloaded, Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge, Disney’s Chicken Little, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, Fuzion Frenzy, and Grabbed by the Ghoulies. Additional titles include Indiana Jones and the Emperor’s Tomb, Red Faction II, Secret Weapons Over Normandy, Star Wars Battlefront, Star Wars Battlefront II, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, Star Wars Jedi Knight II Jedi Outcast, Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords, Star Wars: Republic Commando, Star Wars: Starfighter – Special Edition, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Thrillville, TimeSplitters 2, and TimeSplitters: Future Perfect.
Microsoft has confirmed that all 25 games now feature full keyboard and mouse support. However, users cannot use physical original Xbox or Xbox 360 discs to play these games on a PC. Because physical media from those generations predates the unique serial numbers Microsoft later embedded into Xbox One discs, disc-to-digital authentication is not supported. Emulation powers this new wave of PC compatibility.
Subscription Availability and Future Plans
Most of the newly added titles are not currently included in the Xbox Game Pass library. Only a select few—specifically Blinx, Conker, Crimson Skies, Fuzion Frenzy, Morrowind, and Grabbed by the Ghoulies—are available through the subscription service at launch. Previously leaked Microsoft documents indicated that October 2026 would serve as the full launch window for original Xbox games on PC, while Xbox 360 games are expected to see a gradual rollout on next-gen hardware between 2027 and 2028.
Comments