Microsoft reportedly plans Xbox 360 games on PC, next-gen devices from 2027–2028

Xbox 360 games could be coming to PC, as a new report claims that Microsoft is aiming to bring classic titles from a bygone era to new platforms. According to the document (via The Verge), Xbox 360 games will also be playable on "Xbox PCs," handheld gaming PCs, and Microsoft's upcoming Xbox Series X|S successor, Project Helix. This expanded backwards compatibility will tie into a larger roadmap for upcoming features. The report also claims that developers who make their Xbox 360 games compatible with PC will be allowed to set their own price and decide if they want their title to be available through Xbox Game Pass. This follows Microsoft's recent announcement of original Xbox games for PC, with the first four titles--Blinx: The Time Sweeper, Fuzion Frenzy, Conker: Live and Reloaded, and Crimson Skies: High Road--now available to download. The feature will reportedly roll out between 2027 and 2028, and the report also mentioned a few more details on Microsoft's disc-to-digital program that could pave the way for an all-digital future. Players who insert a game disc into an Xbox console equipped with a disc drive will gain a digital license tied to their account, but if that disc "changes hands," the license will automatically transfer to the new account. Theoretically, this could mean that a player can still swap and trade their game disc, and once done, they'll lose access to their digital license. The Verge added that the beta for the disc-to-digital program has been delayed to an unspecified time. Microsoft's approach is also massively different to how its rival Sony is approaching the idea of games being purely digital products, as the company announced that it will end production of physical game discs in January 2028. The backlash so far has been massive, and following a few weeks of radio silence, Sony cautiously addressed the overwhelmingly negative feedback it had received during an investors' call last week. Meanwhile, Xbox faces several challenges of its own. Recent layoffs have hit several studios hard, while European consumers have been absolutely hammered by massive console price hikes. Driven by component shortages fueled by AI investment, Microsoft hasn't ruled out another price hike in 2027, either. The 23 Best Xbox 360 Games Ever Made View Images

Microsoft reportedly plans to let developers bring Xbox 360 games to PC and next-generation Xbox devices, with a gradual rollout expected between 2027 and 2028. A separate disc-to-digital program would also give players transferable digital licenses tied to their physical Xbox discs, preserving the ability to resell or trade them. The Verge reports: With 360 games, developers can opt into making them backward compatible, and they will have control over things like a game's price and if it's available on Game Pass. The feature is expected to have a "gradual" rollout between 2027 and 2028 "across next-gen devices." The "full launch" of original Xbox games on PC is also set for October 2026; the initial program announced in July included just four games. The document also includes details about a way for players to get a digital version of a game that they already own on a physical disc, which The Verge's Tom Warren reported on in July. The document says that if a player puts an Xbox One or Series game on disc into an Xbox One or Series X console with a disc drive, they'll be granted a digital license that's bound to "that disc and the player's account." The license will stay with a player across Xbox devices, but if the disc "changes hands," the license will transfer to the new person. That should mean that gamers can still trade and sell discs; once the original owner of a disc does so, they can't play the digital version they got from that disc anymore. According to the document, a public beta for the disc-to-digital program was set for July with general availability set for August. We understand Microsoft had originally planned to test its disc-to-digital program with Xbox Insiders in July, but the beta was delayed. It's unclear if the timeline of August general availability is still accurate. Read more of this story at Slashdot.