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Project Scarlett backward compatible with all generations of Xbox

Xbox head Phil Spencer confirmed that the next-gen Xbox Project Scarlett will be backward compatible with all previous generations of Xbox games.

Kevin Tucker

June 10, 2019 3:24 PM

As console hardware pushes power to new extremes, many gamers like to look back over their favorite titles from the past. That's why Xbox 360 backward compatibility on the Xbox One was so popular — it allowed players to enjoy both the new and the old. Luckily, Microsoft has no plans to ditch backward compatibility moving forward, as Xbox head Phil Spencer has confirmed that the next-generation Xbox, codenamed Project Scarlett, will be compatible with all previous generations of Xbox games.

As those who tuned in to the Inside Xbox Stream at E3 2019 are likely aware, this news of backward compatibility is a little bittersweet. While the next-gen Xbox console will support Xbox One games, there will be no more Xbox 360 games coming to XB1 after the final wave of Xbox One backward compatible games releases. These titles include:

Asura’s Wrath
Battlefield 2: Modern Combat
Enchanted Arms
Enslaved: Odyssey to the West
Far Cry Classic
Far Cry Instincts Predator
Infinite Undiscovery
Peter Jackson’s King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie
Prince of Persia The Forgotten Sands
Skate
Star Ocean: The Last Hope
Super Puzzle Fighter 2 Turbo
Syndicate
Too Human (will be absolutely free for whoever wants it)
Unreal Tournament 3

It's been a great ride for Xbox One gamers so far, especially those who were able to pick up their old Xbox 360 favorites through the backward compatibility program. It's soon to close for the XB1, but the dream is still alive for Project Scarlett. Be sure to keep it tuned to Shacknews' E3 2019 home page for all the latest news, announcements, trailers, and reveals from this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo.

Kevin Tucker

Guides Editor

Kevin Tucker is a core component of Shacknews' powerful guide development team. For questions, concerns, tips, or to share constructive criticism, he can be reached on Twitter @dukeofgnar or through e-mail at kevin.tucker@shacknews.com.

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Shacknews

 reply
June 10, 2019 3:24 PM

Kevin Tucker posted a new article, Project Scarlett backward compatible with all generations of Xbox
- TotalFusionOne
  
   reply
  June 10, 2019 3:25 PM
  
  Via downloads or disc's as well?
  - [deleted] 92559685
    
     reply
    June 10, 2019 3:30 PM
    
    [deleted]
  - johnhead
    
     reply
    June 10, 2019 3:35 PM
    
    You have to have the game on your account to download. I think you can do that but I just inserting the disc, but its a download to play.
    - TotalFusionOne
      
       reply
      June 10, 2019 3:38 PM
      
      Ah, so it's still being emulated. Not that it makes a difference, it would just be cool if it was "native"
      - johnhead
        
         reply
        June 10, 2019 3:55 PM
        
        They can’t do Native because of the chip changes. It runs the game in a VM for that Xbox version so it has to be emulation. But honestly I haven’t found a game that doesn’t run better on the X than the version it was natively on.
        
        TotalFusionOne
        
         reply
        June 10, 2019 4:04 PM
        
        Oh agreed and it's the much better solution. Just a weird thought I was having about how cool it's be to insert the disc and instead of getting the whole game downloaded you just got the vm box to run it in.
        
        dopefish
        
         reply
        June 10, 2019 4:09 PM
        
        you're downloading an entire custom VM for every backwards compatible game, that's the secret to them all running so well.
        
        johnhead
        
         reply
        June 10, 2019 4:24 PM
        
        Which means they can just run those vms in the cloud for xcloud fairly easily I believe/hope
- redshak
  
   reply
  June 10, 2019 3:28 PM
  
  This is fantastic
- johnhead
  
   reply
  June 10, 2019 3:38 PM
  
  The also confirmed that elite 2 is 100% compatible with Scarlett
- Masem
  
   reply
  June 10, 2019 3:39 PM
  
  So both MS and Sony recognze the need for a soft transition from one gen to the next.
  - johnhead
    
     reply
    June 10, 2019 4:18 PM
    
    I agree with you. But I think the work ms has done for years shouldn’t be downplayed. Sony is catching up.
    - node
      
       reply
      June 11, 2019 7:06 AM
      
      Massively, PS5 will be BC one generation only unless Sony pulls a massive surprise.
    - Masem
      
       reply
      June 11, 2019 7:13 AM
      
      Yeah, Sony is behind, I agree, but glad to see that they affirmed that early on in discussing the PS5 and not as an afterthought.
- [deleted] 1152187837
  
   reply
  June 10, 2019 3:57 PM
  
  [deleted]
- FirstPersonCooter
  
   reply
  June 10, 2019 4:24 PM
  
  Let’s guess the name for the console.
  
  Xbox XtraLarge
  - baron calamity
    
     reply
    June 11, 2019 6:12 AM
    
    SEXXY-Box
- scud
  
   reply
  June 10, 2019 4:37 PM
  
  As long as the title has been made backwards compatible..... For example Metal Arms: Glitch in the System will not work because MS has not, and will never make it backwards compatible.
- [deleted] 355768971
  
   reply
  June 10, 2019 5:09 PM
  
  [deleted]
- Horn
  
   reply
  June 10, 2019 6:10 PM
  
  I'm glad MS is putting in the work to make sure my copy of Deathrow will always have a place on my shelves
- shirif
  
   reply
  June 10, 2019 6:11 PM
  
  Naice
- mr.thing
  
   reply
  June 10, 2019 8:09 PM
  
  Wasn’t that a given?
  
  They already did the hard work.
  - johnhead
    
     reply
    June 10, 2019 8:37 PM
    
    they are working on xbox one games on scarlett - which isn't done
  - quazar
    
     reply
    June 11, 2019 5:15 AM
    
    Yes, but now it is a fact
- baron calamity
  
   reply
  June 11, 2019 6:24 AM
  
  Thats good news. Guess I'm staying in that Eco system for while.