Xbox 360 Games to be Able to Run on Project Helix, Xbox PCs, and Handhelds - News
by William D'Angelo , posted on 03 August 2026 / 3,783 Views
Microsoft is working on getting Xbox 360 games to run on the next-generation Xbox, Project Helix, as well as Xbox PCs, and handheld devices, according to a leaked document seen by The Verge.
Developers for games on Xbox 360 will be able to opt into making their games backward compatible, control the price and decide if it will be available.
This feature will rollout from 2027 to 2028 "across next-gen devices." The "full launch" of original Xbox games on PC is also set for October 2026. Four original Xbox games are currently available on PC.
The document also mentions the disc-to-digital program. A test for Xbox Insiders was originally planned for July, but has been delayed.
The disc-to-digital program will allow players to put an Xbox One or Xbox Series X game disc into an Xbox one or Xbox Series X console with a disc drive and be granted a digital license that's bound to "that disc and the player’s account." The license will stay with the player across Xbox devices, however, if the disc "changes hands" the license will transfer to the new person. This means players will still be able to trade and sell game discs.
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.
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They kind of have to. 360 was their greatest generation.
It better be full backwards compatibility and not the 4% of the library that previous Xboxes had. Also Microsoft better not be planning a disc to digital program that destroys or bricks disks.
That comment makes it seem like another xbox gen is coming out in 2027 or at latest 2028. That's crazy. They can't even sell current gen at $500-$800. Who is gonna buy a new xbox system at probably $800-$1000??
I guess the Xbox division of Microsoft just needs one more massive failure to fully ensure the HW business has failed and they can with no regrets fully move xbox entirely to their gamepass platform service.
If it's more PC aligned, many might, if they can also just install Steam on it. They still seem to be wanted to make Xbox ecosystem more appealing and that seems to be coming from actually making older Xbox and 360 games currently locked to being exclusive to be actually playable on PC via Xbox shop. People also jsut being able to play their Steam library at the same time helps.
Hence why they keep doing anything pro consumer moves to keep Xbox fans stay in their ecosystem.
Personally I think there will be 3 kinds of Helix consoles: first the Xbox X/Pro console, second the Xbox S/base console, third the Xbox handheld OEM PC by Asus & other manufacturers.
They will expand Xbox consoles ecosystem to more regions where they are already tested with PC Game Pass (around 86 countries). So far only ~40 official consoles regions, the next one will be big expansion, for example current OEM Xbox handhelds like ROG Xbox Ally family helped Xbox visibility a lot in South East Asia
The 360 is their only successful console, similar to how the Genesis was Sega's one big success, but they can't keep riding it forever, unless they want to do an Xbox 360 mini-console.
I feel like their first console was a success, as well. Not commercially, of course, but it was mightily respected. It birthed Xbox Live in a time when the other guys could barely get 56K up and running. It had an internal hard drive when memory cards were standard. It had superior tech all around. And it gave us the first two Halo games, with the second basically setting the standard for all online FPS to come.
That's why when I think about the brand, I always think of the first two consoles with high regard. It wasn't until Kinect and then the Don-TV nonsense that it went off the rails.
All of Sega's consoles have aged like a fine wine though. Only OG Xbox and 360 are good in retrospect.
