Xbox Series X backward Compatibility Gets Huge boost with 76 new games

Xbox Series X backward Compatibility Gets Huge boost with 76 new games

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Xbox, Microsoft has announced 76 backward compatible games from the original Xbox and Xbox 360 era for the Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox One.

And 37 of these games will benefit from FPS Boost, which improves frame rate and performance without developer intervention.

Both lists include blockbusters: all of Max Payne and FEAR will be playable on Xbox One and Series X/S for the first time, as well as classics like TimeSplitters 2, Red Dead Revolver, and Manhunt. Included. In addition, original Xbox titles will have four times the resolution on the Series X and Xbox One X, three times the resolution on the Series S, and twice the resolution on the One S and One.

FPS Boost, meanwhile, will allow titles such as Alan Wake, Sonic Generations, Oblivion, and all of Gears of War to reach 60 frames per second.

However, while this effort is absolutely laudable given that Microsoft was under no obligation to return to these older games, one gets the impression that some of the titles on the list were included simply because they worked, rather than because the public is clamoring for their return! Not to downplay "Chicken Little" (Metacritic rating: 68%) or the movie tie-in party game "Rio" (60%), but "Alpha Protocol," "Blur," and "Silent Hill" were not omitted.

Be that as it may, here's the full list of newly compatible games that are not error-free when put into the flagship Xbox if you are lucky enough to restock the Xbox Series X:

.... And here are the games that can now benefit from FPS Boost.

Phew. The backward compatibility list now stands at nearly 700 titles, but is it likely to grow further? Probably not. The blog post announcing the additions mentions that this batch is the "latest and final" drop.

Then again, the June 2019 addition is also described as "final," so perhaps we can hold out a little hope for the Xbox 25th anniversary in 2026.

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