Microsoft Reportedly Working to Bring Xbox 360 Games to PC and Project Helix

Microsoft is reportedly planning to allow developers to bring their Xbox 360 games to PC through backwards compatibility, according to a leaked internal document. The Verge obtained the document, which was reportedly shared by Microsoft with game studios. The leaked document suggests that developers will have the option to port their previously released 360 games to PC, likely using the Xbox emulator that was recently released to facilitate the porting of original Xbox games.

Microsoft will allow developers to set the price for these games and whether they will be included in Xbox Game Pass.

The rollout of this 360 backwards compatibility feature is expected to be gradual, taking place between 2027 and 2028. Microsoft's objective behind these efforts appears to be twofold. Firstly, it could help the company repair its reputation, potentially after recent mass layoffs and reports of Microsoft's ties to Israeli military.

Secondly, the strategy may aim to build a substantial library of old Xbox games that can be played on Xbox PCs, handheld devices, and Project Helix, Microsoft's upcoming console that is rumored to be more PC-like than its predecessors.

Project Helix, in particular, has been designed with a more PC-like approach, which may explain why Microsoft is keen on expanding its catalogue of old Xbox games to PC. This move could be seen as an attempt to distance itself from its predecessor's strategy of adopting a multiplatform approach that emphasized Game Pass and the cross-platform playability of Xbox games on non-Xbox hardware.

Additionally, the leaked document mentions a disc-to-digital program that would offer owners of Xbox One and Xbox Series X games on disc a license for the digital version of the game. This license would enable them to use the game across various Xbox devices. While this initiative seems primarily relevant to console players at present, it is noteworthy within the broader context of game preservation, as the console manufacturers are beginning to mirror the PC industry's shift towards general disclessness.