There has been a lot of talk about Microsoft’s backward compatibility for the next generation, with claims this week – from normally reliable sources – that backward compatibility will be something extra special with the next Xbox.
Apparently, this will be hardware-based rather than emulation, and the other day this seemed to be confirmed by Xbox boss Sarah Bond, who said:
“Together with AMD, we’re advancing the state of the art in gaming silicon to deliver the next generation of graphics innovation to unlock a deeper level of visual quality and immersive gameplay and player experiences enhanced with the power of AI, all while maintaining compatibility with your existing library of Xbox games.”
Now, a few more details on the matter have emerged from insider and leaker eXtas1s (thanks, Pure Xbox), who has shown a surprising knack for making revelations in the past. In his latest YouTube video, he says that Microsoft is working on greatly improved backward compatibility for Xbox and Xbox 360 in a service called Xbox Classics (although the name is not yet finalized)
The idea is that this will allow us to enjoy games from Microsoft’s first two consoles with better graphics than before and greater stability. In addition, the service will work across all Xbox devices, including the portable Xbox Ally, and will support Game Pass:
“What Xbox is working on is a new advanced emulation platform, designed to run classic Xbox 360 and original Xbox titles with stability [and] graphical improvements – full integration with Game Pass, PC, current consoles, portable devices like the ROG Xbox Ally, and of course, the cloud.”
This fits in well with Microsoft’s gaming boss Phil Spencer’s recent statement that “it’s going to be a really special year for Xbox next year”. The feature will supposedly be rolled out in 2026, when Xbox celebrates its 25th anniversary, and eXtas1s believes that it may happen in two phases. The goal of this new service is explained as follows:
“The goal, as I understand it, is not just to bring back nostalgia, but for these video games to be played better than ever – even on portable hardware like the ROG Xbox Ally and the cloud, on a smart TV or on a mobile phone.”
And that sounds pretty appealing. There are tons of classics for Xbox (Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, Jade Empire, Project Gotham Racing 2, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, Panzer Dragoon Orta, and Halo: Combat Evolved – to name a few) and Xbox 360 (Viva Piñata, Kameo: Elements of Power, Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, Blue Dragon, Project Gotham Racing 4, Fable III, and Halo 3 – to name a few), so being able to enjoy this library enhanced on a sunny beach via Game Pass on Xbox Ally doesn’t sound too bad, does it?
