Xbox backward compatibility reaches three generations back: on Xbox Series X|S you can play selected games from the original Xbox, the Xbox 360 and the Xbox One. It’s free, you don’t have to buy anything extra for it, and for older titles Microsoft promises faster loading, higher resolution, steadier frame rates and more responsive controls. Two things work differently than most people expect, though: the list hasn’t grown since 2019, and saves don’t transfer.
What will and won’t run on the new console
For Xbox One games the answer is simple: practically the whole library runs. For the two older generations, it’s a specific list of titles that Microsoft built up over several years and then stopped in June 2019. At that point the program included over 600 games, and at E3 2019 Microsoft wrote that it would no longer add more original Xbox or Xbox 360 titles to the catalog on Xbox One and would focus on making Xbox One games run on future hardware. That promise holds, but it also means that anything not on the list today won’t be added to it.
| Where the game comes from | How it works | What to watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Xbox One | runs on Series X|S | disc games need the disc version of the console |
| Xbox 360 | only titles on the list | the list hasn’t grown since June 2019 |
| Original Xbox | only titles on the list | the same, plus the smallest selection of all three generations |
| Disc game | insert the disc, the console downloads the game | the disc has to stay in the drive while you play |
| Xbox Series S | only digitally purchased games | the console has no drive and can’t play discs |
| Saves | don’t transfer from the old console | saves created on Xbox One or Series X|S already sync between consoles |
The price is zero in every row. Backward compatibility isn’t an add-on service or part of a subscription, you just need to own the game. The Xbox 360 store did close on 29 July 2024, but backward-compatible titles from it can still be bought on Xbox One, on Series X|S and on the Xbox website.
What FPS Boost does to a game
FPS Boost is an enhancement Microsoft added to some backward-compatible games in February 2021. For selected titles it roughly doubles the original frame rate, and in a few cases even quadruples it. It only works on Xbox Series X|S, because it uses the higher CPU, GPU and memory performance of the new generation. So it isn’t on the Xbox One and never will be.
The announcement from 17 February 2021 gives specific numbers: New Super Lucky’s Tale runs at up to 120 frames per second, and UFC 4 got a better frame rate specifically on Xbox Series S, where it runs at 60 frames. A month later, on 15 March 2021, five Bethesda games were added: Dishonored: Definitive Edition, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition, Fallout 4, Fallout 76 and Prey. As of 11 September 2026, all five are also in the console Game Pass catalog, so you can try them without buying.
You turn it on and off manually. For a specific game, open Manage game and then Compatibility Options, where there’s a toggle for FPS Boost and, next to it, a separate toggle for Auto HDR. Whether a game is currently running with FPS Boost is shown by an indicator that appears when you press the Xbox button on the controller.
Auto HDR adds color to games that never had HDR
Auto HDR automatically enhances older games without HDR support so they have a brighter, more colorful image. Microsoft describes it for games made before HDR arrived on consoles, and it’s toggled in the same menu as FPS Boost, but independently of it. So if an older game looks off after you turn it on, it’s a setting you can revert for that one title, not a console-wide switch. How the TV itself affects the picture is covered in the comparison of the Series X and Series S, which differ in target resolution.
How to check a specific game
There are three ways, and they differ in how quickly they give you an answer.
- The game’s page in the Xbox Store. The list of supported platforms tells you which consoles the game runs on. For a game you’re thinking of buying, it’s the fastest check.
- The official Xbox support list. Microsoft links to it directly from the backward compatibility page, and it also includes titles removed from the program.
- The Play on filter in the Game Pass catalog. It offers Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, handheld and cloud options, so you can see whether you can download the game at all or only stream it. How to work with the catalog is covered in the piece on what’s in Game Pass and how to keep track of it.
Why a specific game is missing from the list
The most common reason is the most boring one: it never made it into the catalog. The program stopped accepting new titles in June 2019 and has only expanded in other directions since. At the same time, Microsoft’s backward compatibility page says nothing about removing games or about licenses, so the claim that games are disappearing from the list isn’t backed by anything the company itself has published. Titles that can’t be played without the motion sensor are a chapter of their own; what you can do with it today is summed up in the piece on what Kinect is good for today.
The opposite movement, on the other hand, is documented. On 22 July 2026, Microsoft brought classic original Xbox games to PCs and handhelds for the first time, specifically to the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X. It started with four titles (BLiNX: The Time Sweeper, Conker: Live and Reloaded, Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge and Fuzion Frenzy), called it the first wave and promised more. If you own these games digitally on console, the license carries over and works on PC and handheld too; achievements are due to come later.
Older games via the cloud
Since 31 March 2021, backward-compatible titles can also be played via the cloud for Game Pass Ultimate subscribers. The launch wave included Fable II, Viva Piñata and Kameo. In practice, this means you can get to the classics on your phone or TV without digging the old console out of the closet. How to start cloud gaming is explained in the guide to Xbox Cloud Gaming, and what each plan includes is summed up in our overview of Game Pass plans.
Who shouldn’t rely on backward compatibility
- Owners of a disc collection thinking about a Series S. Without a drive the whole shelf is useless, and the games have to be bought again digitally.
- Anyone who cares about a specific older title. Check it on the list before you buy a console for it. Since 2019, the chance of it being added to the catalog later is zero.
- Anyone who cares about their in-progress saves. They won’t transfer from the old console, so going back to a game after years means starting over.
FAQ
Yes. Microsoft describes it as a free feature that lets you play selected original Xbox and Xbox 360 games you already own. It isn’t part of a subscription and you don’t pay for it separately. You only pay for the game itself if it isn’t in your library yet.
Yes. With backward-compatible disc games, you insert the disc into the drive, the console downloads the game, and the disc has to stay in the drive while you play. It works as proof of ownership, not a one-time installation. If you take the disc out, the game won’t start.
They do, but only digital ones. The Series S has no drive, and Microsoft lists it for use with digital games only. So Xbox 360 and Xbox One discs are out. For a physical collection you need the disc version of the Series X.
Not to the console catalog; no new original Xbox or Xbox 360 titles have been added since June 2019. The program is expanding elsewhere, though: since 22 July 2026 the first four classic original Xbox games also run on PCs and handhelds, and Microsoft has promised more.
It doubles the original frame rate in selected older games, and in a few titles even quadruples it. It works exclusively on Xbox Series X|S. You toggle it per game in Manage game under Compatibility Options, where Auto HDR sits next to it. An active FPS Boost is shown by an indicator when you press the Xbox button.
Before you start sorting out hardware for an older game, check whether the old console might handle it better: what still works on it is summed up in the piece Xbox 360 today, and a selection of titles that have aged well is in our list of the best Xbox 360 games. What to play on the new generation is covered in our roundup of the best Xbox games, and how the console handles jumping back into a game in progress is explained in the piece on Quick Resume. More guides are in the Xbox section on Gamers Together. Information verified as of 7 August 2026.