Head Shot! Microsoft Announces Xbox 360 Game Backwards Compatibility For Xbox One

by Brandon Hill — Monday, June 15, 2015, 01:30 PM EDT

Did Microsoft just win E3 before Sony even takes the stage? That might be overstating things just a tad, but this is pretty big news for the console gaming community — Microsoft just announced that the Xbox One will be able to natively play Xbox 360 titles later this year. Be still, my heart!

Better yet, gamers won’t have to spend one red cent to have access to their catalog of Xbox 360 games on an Xbox One console. If you previously purchased an Xbox 360 title from the Xbox Marketplace, the game will automatically be made available for you to download for free to your Xbox One. The alternative solution is to insert your old Xbox 360 game disc, after which your Xbox One will be able to download a digital copy to your hard drive. And that’s not all; these old Xbox 360 games will also be able to take advantage of Xbox One features like the ability to take screenshot, game streaming, and Game DVR.

Microsoft says that over 100 Xbox 360 games will be available to play on your Xbox One in time for the holiday season. By this time next year, Microsoft says that “hundreds” of titles will be accessible.

And here’s even better news from Microsoft’s Major Nelson:

Re Xbox One Back Compat: Game developers just need to approve titles showing up. Preview members will get it later today !
— Larry Hryb #XboxE3 (@majornelson) June 15, 2015

. @XboxP3 announces Xbox One Backward Compatibly. Play Xbox 360 games on Xbox One starting today for Preview members pic.twitter.com/P8ex2G0OO6
— Larry Hryb #XboxE3 (@majornelson) June 15, 2015

Microsoft definitely has our attention with this news, but will it be enough to help kick in the turbos on Xbox One console sales? Maybe. If anything, it should give Xbox 360 owners more of an incentive to take advantage of offers like the current $175 trade-in credit taking place at Best Buy.

Tags: Microsoft, Xbox 360, xbox one, (nasdaq:msft), backwards-compatibility

Brandon Hill

Brandon received his first PC, an IBM Aptiva 310, in 1994 and hasn’t looked back since. He cut his teeth on computer building/repair working at a mom and pop computer shop as a plucky teen in the mid 90s and went on to join AnandTech as the Senior News Editor in 1999. Brandon would later help to form DailyTech where he served as Editor-in-Chief from 2008 until 2014. Brandon is a tech geek at heart, and family members always know where to turn when they need free tech support. When he isn’t writing about the tech hardware or studying up on the latest in mobile gadgets, you’ll find him browsing forums that cater to his long-running passion: automobiles.

Opinions and content posted by HotHardware contributors are their own.

Which New GPU Is For You?

Stay updated with the latest news and updates. Subscribe to our newsletter!

Subscribe Now