Xbox announces OG Xbox game backward compatibility for PC

Very good news for those eager to replay Blinx: The Time Sweeper in 2026: Microsoft just announced it will support backward compatibility for select original Xbox games on Windows PC. It is launching today in early release alongside four Xbox games that are coming to PC for the first time.

“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,” Jason Ronald, vice president of next generation at Xbox, said in a post on Xbox Wire.

The four supported games are:

• Blinx: The Time Sweeper
• Conker: Live and Reloaded
• Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge
• Fuzion Frenzy

Each game is available for purchase on PC and is included in all Xbox Game Pass plans. Those who already own digital licenses for the games on consoles will be able to play them on PC as well. The games each cost $9.99, with party game Fuzion Frenzytemporarily on sale for 75% off. As for new features, there are customizable graphics settings, including up to 4x resolution scaling, Vsync support, fullscreen and windowed display modes, anisotropic filtering, and enhanced antialiasing. Later this year, Microsoft will bring achievements to select Xbox Originals on PC and console, and it plans to add more features going forward.

Sony recently announced the controversial decision to end support for physical games on PlayStation consoles, setting off a flurry of consumer game ownership concerns. While the Xbox backward compatibility initiative was certainly in the works well before Sony made its announcement, Microsoft’s wording comes across as targeted at PlayStation. “Xbox Backward Compatibility on PC is another step toward preserving the games from the past and making it easier for you to enjoy and play more of the games you already own across the devices you use every day,” Ronald said.

Still, while the move will likely win Microsoft some much-needed positive PR, it doesn’t change the fact that Xbox is laying off 3,200 employees this year. It laid off dozens of employees at legendary Doom developer id Software and is selling off several acclaimed studios like Undead Labs and Ninja Theory. Needless to say, neither Microsoft nor Sony has been in players’ good graces as of late, but a step forward in the preservation of classic games — yes, even Blinx — is a bit of positive news.