đ„ł Microsoft is celebrating 25 years of Xbox with several major announcements and updates
đ New features include âXbox Playbackâ personal history stats and an updated console UI
đ Game updates were detailed for Halo, DOOM, Forza, Fable, and upcoming titles from id Tech and MachineGames
đź 25 original Xbox titles have officially launched on PC with backward compatibility
Itâs been 25 years since the very first Xbox launched, and Microsoft has celebrated the historic milestone with several major announcements that fans wonât want to miss.
First up, you can look back at your own history on Xbox with âXbox Playbackâ, a Spotify Rewind-style feature that shows the first game you ever played on Microsoftâs platform, along with your most-played game, top years, and longest streak. You can see your stats by signing into your account here.
A new Xbox console update is rolling out now for Xbox Insiders that provides more personalization options, including the option to rotate backgrounds, find games in your library more easily, or move the Guide to the other side of the screen.
Xbox game updates
Microsoft announced that Firefight is coming to Halo: Campaign Evolved. The cooperative survival mode arrives as part of a free Winter Update and adds a multiplayer component to the game.
DOOM: The Dark Ages is also getting an update that adds Slaughter Mode, an endlessly replayable mode that introduces escalating rounds of randomized enemies, bosses and arenas, with rewards that stack and grow the more you play. Youâll need to own the Revelations DLC, the Premium Edition, or the Premium Upgrade of DOOM: The Dark Ages to access it.
Xbox fans can claim 25th-anniversary in-game items such as skins and liveries in Forza Horizon 6, Halo: Campaign Evolved, Gears of War: E-Day, Minecraft, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4.
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma confirmed that DOOM developer iD Techâs next game is in development, along with Wolfenstein 3 by MachineGames. Sharma also shared four minutes of new gameplay from Fable, which is out next year.
25 original Xbox games now available on PC
Xbox backward compatibility on PC also got a big boost as 25 original Xbox games are now playable â some that include achievements. Hereâs the full list:
Armed and Dangerous
BLiNX: The Time Sweeper (also available with Xbox Game Pass)
Conker: Live and Reloaded (also available with Xbox Game Pass)
Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge (also available with Xbox Game Pass)
Disneyâs Chicken Little
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (also available with Xbox Game Pass)
Fuzion Frenzy (also available with Xbox Game Pass)
Grabbed by the Ghoulies (also available with Xbox Game Pass)
Indiana Jones and the Emperorâs Tomb
Red Faction II
Secret Weapons Over Normandy
Star Wars Battlefront
Star Wars Battlefront II
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
Star Wars Jedi Knight II Jedi Outcast
Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II â The Sith Lords
Star Wars: Republic Commando
Star Wars: Starfighter â Special Edition
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Thrillville
TimeSplitters 2
TimeSplitters: Future Perfect
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Adam Vjestica is The Shortcutâs Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadarâs Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.