A recent announcement from Xbox may leave longtime fans with a bittersweet feeling. The latest update to the Xbox backward compatibility library adds over 70 games, but also marks the final update to the service. Moving forward, there will be no new additions, spelling a quiet end for a fan-favorite feature.
Xbox backward compatibility ends with no future release dates
The final update to Xbox backward compatibility arrives as part of the company’s 20th anniversary celebrations. Among the new additions are Skate 2, Dead or Alive Ultimate, and the entire Max Payne series. The full list of games, including final additions, can be found over at the official Xbox website.
This ultimate update also provides a few quality of life enhancements. Series X|S owners will be able to enjoy Auto HDR with supported displays on every backward compatible game. Original Xbox games get a resolution increase, and FPS boost has been added to eleven more games, including F.E.A.R. 3, Binary Domain, and Nier.
Granted, these additions aren’t the biggest news here. Toward the end of the announcement post, the Xbox team noted this update as “the latest and final addition” of titles to the backward compatibility program. In other words, there seem to be no plans to add more games down the line. Moving forward, the existing list of games will be the entire list. Put another way, if you want to go back and play games that aren’t on the list, you’ll have to play them on original hardware.
It’s certainly disappointing to hear that the backward compatibility program is coming to a close. Granted, it seems to have done its job perfectly. Backward compatibility is still a major selling point for the Xbox brand. It’s just a bit sad to see it end — especially since players are likely to be clamoring for it again in just a few console generations.
