Xbox Playback Launches at 25th Anniversary Event; 25 Original Games Hit PC
Microsoft has launched Xbox Playback, a look back at each player's Xbox history, as part of the console's 25th anniversary. It also made 25 original Xbox games playable on Windows PCs and added achievements to four of them.
Microsoft has launched Xbox Playback, a tool that lets players look back at their own Xbox history, as part of the platform's 25th anniversary celebrations in Seattle. It shows your first game, total time played, most-played game, top years and longest streak.
Microsoft announced it at the final stop of its eight-city FanFest tour. The company said the event was meant to thank players for 25 years of Xbox.
Original Xbox games come to PC
Microsoft also expanded its effort to preserve older games. Twenty-five original Xbox games are now playable on Windows PCs, up from four when the idea launched in July. Twenty-one of them are new additions.
You need a digital copy of each game, bought or already owned. Microsoft says all of them support keyboard and mouse. Original Xbox discs will not work, because they are not part of Microsoft's disc-to-digital program.
The list leans heavily on Star Wars titles, including Knights of the Old Republic, Battlefront and Republic Commando. It also includes The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, TimeSplitters 2, Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge and Grabbed by the Ghoulies.
Most of the new games are not included in Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft says. Only Blinx, Conker, Crimson Skies, Fuzion Frenzy, Morrowind and Grabbed by the Ghoulies are.
Achievements for old games
Original Xbox games are getting achievements for the first time. Four lead the way: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and its sequel, Blinx: The Time Sweeper, and Conker: Live and Reloaded.
Players can also unlock them on Xbox One and Xbox Series consoles after a system update. Microsoft says more games should follow.
Anniversary gifts and updates
Halo: Campaign Evolved gets Firefight, its cooperative survival mode, in a free Winter Update. Slaughter Mode arrives in DOOM: The Dark Ages on November 16 for owners of the Revelations DLC, the Premium Edition or the Premium Upgrade.
Several games are handing out anniversary items. Forza Horizon 6 gets a new livery for its cover car, the 2025 GR GT, and Halo: Campaign Evolved players can unlock the Damascus Prototype Armor Style.
Minecraft players can claim a free OG Green Character Creator item until December 10, 2026 at 10 AM PT. It requires Minecraft: Bedrock Edition.
Gears of War: E-Day players can claim an Xbox Anniversary Weapon Skin Set for free in the in-game shop. When the shop rotates on Tuesday, November 17, it moves to the player barracks, where it costs Coins or premium currency.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 owners get four commemorative liveries automatically, for the Boeing 737 MAX, XCub, Hot Air Balloon and Skyship 600. Microsoft also showed new quest gameplay from Fable, and FanFest attendees get hands-on time with it.
