The Xbox Series X and Series S are both fully backward compatible with nigh-on every game that runs on Xbox One, and that means they can equally play Xbox 360 and original Xbox games too.
That's a huge incentive for gamers who choose Xbox. Not only do they get the latest Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S games to play, they can dip from a big library of compatible titles stretching back to the start of the 2000s.
But what games does it include and how does it work? We explain all there is to know about the Xbox backward compatibility system here.
How does Xbox backward compatibility work?
The Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S are able to play Xbox 360 and original Xbox games through emulation software that makes your console think it's a last generation machine for the purposes of playing classic games.
When a supported game is started on the machine, the current or last-gen console opens the emulator and, in all regards, the game works as if it was running on an Xbox 360 or 2001 Xbox. The opening screen appears first then the game will load.
All other aspects and features that would normally be available on an Xbox 360 or Xbox are available on the Xbox One/Series X/S too, including the hub on the former (which can be opened through a simultaneous press of the menu and view buttons on the Xbox wireless controller). In addition, all new features of the more recent Xbox consoles work, including the ability to take screen grabs and record and share video of gameplay.
Xbox Series X/S owners get additional bonuses too, with the latest consoles able to play many (if not all) of the backward compatible Xbox 360 and Xbox games with Auto HDR enabled. This adds virtual high dynamic range contrast and colours to make the titles look better. Plus, many titles have FPS Boost enabled. This ups the frame rate the fames play in, which provides a smoother experience.
Does it cost me anything?
Xbox offers backward compatibility for free.
If you own a supported game already, you do not have to pay anything to play it on Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S.
Obviously, it costs to purchase new Xbox 360 or Xbox games that work on the machine.
Many of the games with backward compatibility are also available as part of a Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. For £10.99 a month, you get access to more than 300 games to download and play on your console, made up of a mix of classic Xbox 360 and Xbox games, plus many more Xbox One and Series X/S titles. You also get online gaming access through Xbox Live Gold, EA Play, Cloud Gaming, and even Game Pass for PC.
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Does it work with Xbox games I bought through Xbox store?
Xbox backward compatibility works with digital content as well as disc games. In fact, if you enter a supported disc into your Xbox One or Series X, the machine will download the game from the Xbox store first - although you will need the disc to be in the machine each time you play. This cannot work on an Xbox One S All-digital Edition or Xbox Series S, of course, as they do not feature disc drives.
If you own a digital copy of a supported game it appears in your games list ready for download. Check your My Games & Apps hub to see if any are listed among the games yet to be installed.
Can I buy Xbox 360 and Xbox games on my Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S?
Compatible Xbox 360 and Xbox games are listed for purchase on the Xbox game store. If you are an Xbox Live Gold member, you also get free Xbox 360 and/or original Xbox games to download each month alongside Xbox One titles as part of the Games for Gold scheme.
That usually means you get two free Xbox One games and two free backward compatible games a month.
Prices for the Xbox 360 and Xbox games on the online store vary, but start at around £5 / $5.
Can I carry on with my previous Xbox 360 game saves on Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S?
If you originally set your Xbox 360 to save games to the cloud you will be able to download the save files to the Xbox One version and carry on. The cloud files are permanently associated with your gamertag so the Xbox One should do this automatically.
If you only saved your in-game progress locally, to the hard drive, you will need to restart your Xbox 360 and save them to the cloud instead. If you no longer have your Xbox 360, sadly you won't be able to access the files.
Considering the first-gen Xbox didn't save games to the cloud in the same way, you can't carry on with old save games.
What games are available with Xbox backward compatibility?
There are 100s of Xbox 360 titles available as part of the backward compatibility scheme and a decent selection of original Xbox games.
Games like the original Guitar Hero and Rock Band series won't work as they require proprietary accessories that aren't compatible, nor do any that require with the original Kinect motion camera. Even if you have the Xbox One Kinect, it will not be compatible with previous Xbox 360 Kinect games.
Full Xbox backward compatibility list
Here's a full list of the original Xbox games that are available with backward compatibility for Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S:
- Armed and Dangerous
- Black *
- Blinx: The Time Sweeper *
- BloodRayne 2Â *
- Breakdown *
- Conker: Live & Reloaded *
- Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge *
- Dead or Alive 3
- Dead to Rights *
- Destroy All Humans! *
- Disney's Chicken Little *
- Full Spectrum Warrior *
- Fuzion Frenzy *
- Gladius
- Grabbed by the Ghoulies *
- Gunvalkyrie
- Hunter: The Reckoning *
- Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb
- Jade Empire *
- King of Fighters Neowave *
- Manhunt
- Max Payne
- Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne
- Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction *
- MX Unleashed *
- Ninja Gaiden Black *
- Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee
- Otogi: Myth of Demons
- Otogi 2: Immortal Warriors
- Panzer Dragoon Orta *
- Panzer Elite Action: Fields of Glory *
- Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time *
- Psychonauts *
- Red Dead Revolver
- Red Faction IIÂ *
- Secret Weapons Over Normandy
- Sid Meier's Pirates! *
- Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy
- SSX 3Â *
- Star Wars Battlefront *
- Star Wars Battlefront IIÂ *
- 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 *
- The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind *
- TimeSplitters 2
- TimeSplitters: Future Perfect
- Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
- Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent
- Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Chaos Theory
- Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow
- Unreal Championship 2: The Liandri Conflict
And here's a full list of the Xbox 360 games that are available with backward compatibility for Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S:
- 0 day Attack on Earth
- 3D Ultra Minigolf
- 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand
- A Kingdom for Keflings
- A World of Keflings
- Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation
- Aces of the Galaxy
- Advent Rising
- Adventure Time: The Secret of the Nameless Kingdom
- Aegis Wing
- Age of Booty
- AirMech Arena
- Alan Wake *
- Alan Wake's American Nightmare
- Alaskan Adventures
- Alice: Madness Returns
- Alien Hominid HD
- Aliens vs Predator
- Altered Beast
- Anomaly Warzone Earth
- Aqua
- Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
- Arkanoid Live!
- Army of Two
- Assassin's Creed *
- Assassin's Creed II
- Assassin's Creed III
- Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag
- Assassin's Creed Liberation HD
- Assassin's Creed Rogue
- Assassin's Creed Revelations
- Assault Heroes 2
- Asteroids & Deluxe
- Astropop
- Asura's Wrath
- Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Burning Earth
- Axel & Pixel
- Babel Rising
- Band of Bugs
- Banjo Kazooie *
- Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts *
- Banjo-Tooie *
- Bankshot Billiards 2
- Batman: Arkham Origins
- BattleBlock Theater
- Battlefield 2: Modern Combat
- Battlefield 3
- Battlefield 1943
- Battlefield: Bad Company
- Battlefield: Bad Company 2
- Battlestations: Midway
- Battlestations Pacific
- Bayonetta
- BCFx *
- Beat'n Groovy
- Beautiful Katamari
- Bejeweled 2
- Bejeweled 3
- Bellator: MMA Onslaught
- Beyond Good & Evil HD
- Bionic Commando Rearmed 2
- Bioshock
- Bioshock 2
- Bioshock Infinite
- Binary Domain *
- Blood Knights
- Blood of the Werewolf
- Bloodforge
- BloodRayne: Betrayal
- Blue Dragon
- Bomberman Battlefest
- Boom Boom Rocket
- Borderlands
- Borderlands 2
- Bound by Flame
- Braid
- Brain Challenge
- Brave: The Video Game
- Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway
- Brutal Legend
- Bullet Soul
- Bullet Soul -Infinite Burst-
- Bully Scholarship Edition
- Burnout Paradise
- Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2013
- Cabela's Hunting Expeditions
- Cabela's Survival: SoK
- Call of Duty 2
- Call of Duty 3
- Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
- Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
- Call of Duty: Black Ops
- Call of Duty: Black Ops II
- Call of Duty: Ghosts
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
- Call of Duty: World at War
- Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood
- Call of Juarez Gunslinger
- Call of Juarez: The Cartel
- Capcom Arcade Cabinet
- Carcassonne
- Cars: Mater-National
- Cars 2: The Video Game
- Castle Crashers
- Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse
- CastleStorm
- Castlevania: Harmony of Despair
- Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
- Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2
- Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate HD
- Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
- Catherine
- Centipede & Millipede
- Child of Eden
- Civilization Revolution *
- Clannad
- Cloning Clyde
- Comic Jumper
- Comix Zone
- Command and Conquer 3 Kane's Wrath
- Command and Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars
- Command and Conquer Red Alert 3
- Command and Conquer Red Alert 3 Commander's Challenge
- Commanders: Attack
- Conan
- Condemned: Criminal Origins
- Contra
- Costume Quest
- Costume Quest 2
- Counter-Strike: Go
- Crackdown *
- Crackdown 2
- Crazy Taxi
- Crysis
- Crysis 2
- Crysis 3
- Crystal Defenders
- Dante's Inferno
- Dark Souls
- Dark Void
- Darksiders *
- Darksiders II
- Darwinia+
- Daytona USA
- De Blob 2
- Dead or Alive 4
- Dead or Alive Ultimate
- Deadfall Adventures
- Deadliest Warrior
- Deadly Premonition
- Dead Rising 2: Case West
- Dead Rising 2: Case Zero
- Dead Space
- Dead Space 2 *
- Dead Space 3 *
- Dead Space Ignition
- Deadliest Warrior: Legends
- Death by Cube
- Deathspank T.O.V.
- Defense Grid: The Awakening
- Deus Ex: Human Revolution
- Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Director's Cut
- Dig Dug
- DiRT 3
- DiRT Showdown
- Discs of Tron
- Disney Bolt
- Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
- Disney Universe
- Divinity II - The Dragon Knight Saga
- Domino Master
- Doom
- Doom II
- Doom 3: BFG Edition
- Doritos Crash Course
- Double Dragon: Neon
- Dragon Age 2 *
- Dragon Age: Origins *
- Dragon's Lair
- Driver San Francisco
- Duck Tales: Remastered
- Duke Nukem Forever
- Dungeon Siege III
- Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara
- E4
- Earth Defense Force 2017
- Earth Defense Force 2025
- Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon
- Earthworm Jim HD
- Eat Lead
- Elements of Destruction
- Enchanted Arms
- Encleverment Experiment
- Enslaved: Odyssey to the West
- Escape Dead Island
- F1 2014
- Fable Anniversary *
- Fable IIÂ *
- Fable II Pub Games
- Fable IIIÂ *
- Fable Heroes
- Faery: Legends of Avalon
- Fallout 3Â *
- Fallout: New Vegas *
- Far Cry 2
- Far Cry 3 *
- Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon
- Far Cry Classic
- Far Cry Instincts Predator
- F.E.A.R. *
- F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin
- F.E.A.R. 3 *
- F.E.A.R. Files
- Feeding Frenzy
- Feeding Frenzy 2: Shipwreck Showdown
- Fighting Vipers
- Final Fantasy XIIIÂ *
- Final Fantasy XIII-2Â *
- Final Fight: Double Impact
- Flashback
- Flock!
- Forza Horizon *
- Foul Play
- Fret Nice
- Frogger
- Frogger 2
- From Dust
- Frontlines: Fuel of War
- Fuel
- FunTown Mahjong
- Galaga
- Galaga Legions
- Galaga Legions DX
- Garou: Mark of the Wolves
- Gatling Gears
- Gears of War *
- Gears of War 2Â *
- Gears of War 3Â *
- Gears of War: Judgment *
- Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions Evolved
- Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved
- Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2
- Ghostbusters
- Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime
- Gin Rummy
- Girl Fight
- Go! Go! Break Steady
- Goat Simulator
- Golden Axe
- Golf: Tee it Up!
- Grand Theft Auto IV + Episodes from Liberty City
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
- Greg Hastings Paintball 2
- Grid 2
- Grid Autosport
- Gripshift
- Guardian Heroes
- Gunstar Heroes
- Gyromancer
- Gyruss
- Half-Minute Hero -Super Mega Neo Climax-
- Halo 3Â *
- Halo 3: ODST Campaign Edition
- Halo 4
- Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
- Halo: Reach
- Halo: Spartan Assault
- Halo Wars
- Hard Corps: Uprising
- Hardwood Backgammon
- Hardwood Hearts
- Hardwood Spades
- Harms Way
- Haunted House
- Heavy Weapon
- Hexic 2
- Hexic HD
- Hitman: Absolution
- Hitman: Blood Money
- Hitman HD Pack
- Hydro Thunder
- Hydrophobia
- I Am Alive
- Ikaruga
- Ilomilo
- Infinite Discovery
- Injustice: Gods Among Us
- Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
- Interpol
- Iron Brigade
- Islands of Wakfu
- Jeremy McGrath's Offroad
- Jet Set Radio
- Jetpac Refuelled
- Jewel Quest
- Joe Danger 2: The Movie
- Joe Danger Special Edition
- Joust
- Joy Ride Turbo
- Juju
- Jurassic Park: The Game
- Just Cause
- Just Cause 2
- Kameo: Elements of Power *
- Kane & Lynch 2
- Killer is Dead
- Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning
- KOF Sky Stage
- Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light
- Lara Croft Tomb Raider Anniversary
- Lazy Raiders
- Left 4 Dead *
- Left 4 Dead 2Â *
- Lego Batman
- Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
- Lego Indiana Jones
- Lego Indiana Jones 2
- Lego Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game
- Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga
- Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy
- Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars
- Lego The Lord of the Rings *
- Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIIIÂ *
- Limbo
- Lode Runner
- Lost Odyssey
- Lost Planet
- Lost Planet 2
- Lost Planet 3
- Lost Planet Colonies
- Lumines Live!
- Luxor 2
- Mad Tracks
- Madballs Babo: Invasion
- Mafia 2
- Magic 2012
- Magic 2013
- Magic 2014 - Duels of the Planeswalkers
- Magic: The Gathering
- Marathon: Durandal
- Marlow Briggs and the Mask of Death
- Mars: War Logs
- Mass Effect
- Mass Effect 2
- Mass Effect 3
- Matt Hazard: BBB
- Max Payne 3
- Medal of Honor Airborne *
- Meet the Robinsons
- Mega Man 9
- Mega Man 10
- Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
- Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3 HD
- Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker HD Edition
- Metal Slug 3
- Metal Slug XX
- Midnight Club: Los Angeles
- Midway Arcade Origins
- Might & Magic Clash of Heroes
- Military Madness
- Mini Ninjas
- Mirror's Edge *
- Missile Command
- Monaco: What's Yours is Mine
- Monday Night Combat
- Monkey Island: Special Edition
- Monkey Island 2: Special Edition
- Monopoly Deal
- Monopoly Plus
- Moon Diver
- Mortal Kombat
- Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
- Motocross Madness
- Mr Driller Online
- Ms Pac-Man
- Ms. Splosion Man
- Mutant Blobs Attack!!!
- Mutant Storm Empire
- Mutant Storm Reloaded
- MX vs. ATV Alive
- MX vs. ATV Reflex
- MX vs. ATV Untamed
- N+
- NBA Jam: On Fire Edition
- NeoGeo Battle Coliseum
- New Rally-X
- Nier *
- Nights into Dreams…
- Nin2-Jump
- Ninja Gaiden II
- Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge
- Novadrome
- Of Orcs and Men
- OFP: Red River
- Omega Five
- Onechanbara: Bikini Samurai Squad
- Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising
- Orcs Must Die!
- Outland
- Outpost Kaloki X
- Overlord
- Overlord II
- Pac-Man
- Pac-Man: Championship Edition
- Pac-Man: Championship Edition DX+
- Pac-Man Museum
- Peggle
- Peggle 2
- Perfect Dark *
- Perfect Dark Zero *
- Persona 4 Arena
- Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie
- Phantasy Star II
- Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds
- Pinball FX
- Planets Under Attack
- Plants vs. Zombies
- Poker Smash
- Port Royale 3 Pirates & Merchants
- Portal 2Â *
- Portal: Still Alive *
- Prey
- Prince of Persia
- Prince of Persia Classic
- Prince of Persia The Forgotten Sands
- Pure
- Putty Squad
- Puzzle Quest
- Puzzle Quest 2
- Puzzle Quest Galactrix
- Puzzlegeddon
- Qix++
- Quake Arena Arcade
- Quantum Conundrum
- R-Type Dimensions
- Rage
- Raiden IV
- Raskulls
- RAW - Realms of Ancient War
- Rayman 3 HD
- Rayman Legends
- Rayman Origins
- Rayman Raving Rabbids
- Red Dead Redemption *
- Red Faction: Armageddon
- Red Faction: Battlegrounds
- Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City *
- Resident Evil Code: Veronica X
- Ridge Racer 6
- Rio
- Risen
- Risen 2: Dark Waters
- RoboBlitz
- Rock of Ages *
- Rocket Knight
- Rockstar Table Tennis
- Rumble Roses XX
- Runner2
- R.U.S.E.
- Sacred 2: Fallen Angel
- Sacred 3
- Sacred Citadel
- Saints Row
- Saints Row 2
- Saints Row IV
- Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell
- Saints Row: The Third
- Sam & Max Save the World
- Sam & Max Beyond Time & Space
- Samurai Shodown II
- Scarygirl
- Scramble
- Scrap Metal
- ScreamRide
- Screwjumper!
- Sega Bass Fishing
- Sega Vintage Collection: Alex Kidd & Co.
- Sega Vintage Collection: Golden Axe
- Sega Vintage Collection: Monster World
- Sega Vintage Collection: Streets of Rage
- Sega Vintage Collection: Toejam & Earl
- Sensible World of Soccer
- Shadow Assault/Tenchu
- Shadow Complex
- Shadowrun
- Shadows of the Damned
- Shank 2
- Shinobi
- Shotest Shogi
- Shred Nebula
- Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution
- Silent Hill: Downpour
- Silent Hill: HD Collection
- Silent Hill Homecoming
- Sine Mora
- Skate
- Skate 2
- Skate 3Â *
- Skydive
- Skullgirls
- Slender: The Arrival
- Small Arms
- Sniper Elite V2
- Soltrio Solitaire
- Sonic 4 Episode II
- Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed *
- Sonic & Knuckles
- Sonic Adventure
- Sonic Adventure 2
- Sonic CD
- Sonic Generations *
- Sonic The Fighters
- Sonic The Hedgehog
- Sonic The Hedgehog 2
- Sonic The Hedgehog 3
- Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode I
- Sonic Unleashed *
- Soulcalibur
- Soulcalibur II HD
- South Park: The Stick of Truth
- Space Ark
- Space Giraffe
- Space Invaders Infinity Gene
- Spec Ops: The Line
- Spelunky
- Split/Second
- Splosion Man
- SpongeBob Squarepants Underpants Slam!
- SpongeBob's Truth or Square
- SSX
- Stacking
- Star Ocean: The Last Hope
- Star Wars: The Force Unleashed *
- Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II
- Steins; Gate Hiroin's Love of Love
- Steins; Gate Linear Restraint Fenogram
- Steins; Gate (original version)
- Strania
- Street Fighter IV
- Stuntman: Ignition
- Super Cobra
- Super Meat Boy
- Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo
- Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition
- Supreme Commander 2
- Switchball
- Syberia
- Syndicate
- Tecmo Bowl Throwback
- Tekken 6
- Tekken Tag Tournament 2
- Texas Hold 'Em
- The Bureau: XCOM Declassified
- The Darkness
- The Darkness II
- The Cave
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion *
- The First Templar
- The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match
- The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match
- The King of Fighters XIII
- The Maw
- The Misadventures of PB Winterbottom
- The Orange Box *
- The Outfit
- The Splatters
- The Walking Dead
- The Walking Dead: Michonne
- The Walking Dead: Season Two
- The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings *
- Thrillville
- Thrillville: Off the Rails
- Ticket to Ride
- Time Pilot
- TimeShift
- Tom Clancy's Endwar
- Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter
- Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2
- Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier
- Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X.
- Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas
- Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2
- Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Blacklist *
- Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Conviction *
- Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent *
- Tomb Raider: Legend
- Tomb Raider Underworld
- Too Human
- Torchlight
- Tour de France 2009
- Tour de France 2011
- Tower Bloxx Deluxe
- Toy Soldiers
- Toy Soldiers: Cold War
- Toy Story Mania!
- Toybox Turbos
- Trials Evolution
- Trials HD
- Triggerheart Exelica
- Trine 2
- Tron: Evolution
- Tropico 4
- Ugly Americans: Apocalypsegeddon
- Unbound Saga
- Undertow
- Unreal Tournament III
- Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment *
- Vanquish
- Virtua Fighter 2
- Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown
- Virtual-On
- Viva Piñata *
- Viva Piñata: Party Animals
- Viva Piñata: Trouble In Paradise *
- Warlords
- Wolfenstein 3D
- Word Puzzle
- XCOM: Enemy Unknown
- XCOM: Enemy Within
- Yosumin! Live
- Zone of Enders HD Collection
- Zuma
- Zuma's Revenge
* These games are enhanced for Xbox One X and the Series X/S, which means they have frame rate and/or resolution enhancements when played on those machines. Many games will also work with the Series X/S Auto HDR function.
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