Xbox One's First Original Xbox Backwards Compatible Games Arrive

/
xboxone-starwars-knightsoftheoldrepublic.jpg

It looks like Xbox One’s backwards compatibility program is getting stronger and sooner than we thought. At E3 this year, Microsoft’s Executive Vice President of Gaming and Xbox boss, Phil Spencer, announced that the program would expand to include games from the original Xbox.

Half a dozen original Xbox games, including Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, were added as digital downloads to the Xbox Games on Demand section of the store earlier today. Microsoft subsequently confirmed that they would be launching on Xbox One via backwards compatibility tomorrow.

They also shared a list with IGN, confirming that a total of 13 games would be made available by then, including the two that had been heavily mentioned – Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge and Fuzion Frenzy. The complete list given consists of:

  • Black
  • BloodRayne 2
  • Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge
  • Dead to Rights
  • Fuzion Frenzy
  • Grabbed by the Ghoulies
  • The King of Fighters Neowave
  • Ninja Gaiden Black
  • Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
  • Psychonauts
  • Red Faction II
  • Sid Meier's Pirates
  • Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

These games are listed as having 1080p resolution, improved frame rates and shorter loading times. If you still have your original discs you can simply insert those and begin downloading these updated versions. Digital licenses carry over, or you can buy anew from the Microsoft store. 

System Link support is touted, even between different generations of Xbox hardware, though online multiplayer is not guaranteed for almost all games since support for original Xbox games ended back in 2010. 

I hope the Xbox platform has a great future, between this, the Xbox One X launching on November 7 and an ongoing commitment from Phil Spencer to broaden player choices across the board.