It’s been a big year for backwards compatible video games on Microsoft’s Xbox One console with 136 Xbox 360 titles being added to the growing library of playable games from the previous console generation, seven of which were also given special Xbox One X enhancements.
2017 also saw the launch of original (OG) Xbox console games on the Xbox One with 13 games from the first Xbox generation now being playable on modern consoles. Some of these though were not made available in all regions.
More OG Xbox and Xbox 360 games will be added to the Xbox One’s backwards compatibility library in 2018 but for now the team behind the conversion process is taking a break according to Microsoft’s Larry Hyrb who tweeted that there would be no new backwards compatible releases before New Years.
After releasing 136 Xbox 360, 13 Original Xbox & 7 enhanced Xbox 360 titles in 2017, the Xbox One Backward Compatibility team is taking some time off for the holidays. Releases resume after New Year. Thank you for all of your support this year! https://t.co/sBz55GfVF4 pic.twitter.com/u5X7k8Jnqj
— Larry Hryb ????✨ (@majornelson) December 4, 2017
The first Xbox 360 backwards compatibility titles first began appearing on the Xbox One in late-2015 and more have been added on a fairly regular basis ever since. Microsoft has stated on several occasions that the games they choose to add are chosen mostly on popularity and demand however the choices are limited due to the Xbox One being unable to support Xbox 360 accessories such as the Xbox 360 Kinect sensor.
Unfortunately this means that Xbox 360 games that relied heavily on that console’s Kinect can’t be added to the backwards compatible library however some, such as Disneyland Adventure, have been re-released as proper Xbox One games which is a possible, albeit more expensive, workaround.
Interestingly, one of this month’s Games With Gold titles, Child of Eden, is an Xbox 360 Kinect game however it’s playable on the Xbox One due to its support for traditional controllers.
Are you enjoying the Xbox One’s backwards compatibility? What games would you like to see added in 2018? Let us know in the comments below.
