Xbox backwards compatibility expands to PC – why this is great news for handhelds

Microsoft has announced the launch of Xbox compatibility for for PC gamers, which will bring some all-time classic original games to the new generation of handheld games consoles as well as Windows-based laptop and desktop models.

The company is starting by bringing four original Xbox games to PCs and handhelds like the Xbox Ally X. They are BLiNX: The Time Sweeper, Conker: Live and Reloaded, Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge, Fuzion Frenzy. Microsoft is pitching this as a game preservation feature and more games are coming in the future.

Microsoft says that PC gamers who own a digital license for any of these games can now play them on their PC or handheld. The games are also available top purchase outright for PC. The games are also getting a modern overhaul without compromising the original product.

In a blog post, Microsoft says: “In addition to making these games available on PC for the first time ever, we’ve added new features to enhance the experience on PC while preserving the original gameplay. Players can customise graphics settings, including up to 4x resolution upscaling, VSync support, Fullscreen and Windowed display modes, anisotropic filtering, enhanced anti-aliasing, and more. These games also include customisable language and audio settings.”

Furthermore, Microsoft is also bringing achievements to original Xbox games on consoles and PC. That starts with the quartet of titles released today.

Gamers will need to fit a minimum specification to get started. They are as follows for Intel, Nvidia and AMD silicon.

GPU: Nvidia GTX 950 or AMD Radeon RX 550 or Intel UHD 770 or Intel Arc A310
CPU: Min 4 Cores Intel Core i3-8100 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200 or AMD Ryzen™ Z2 A Processor
RAM: 8GB
OS: Windows 11
Drivers and Versions: Latest Version as of January 2026

GPU: Radeon RX 68005 or Nvidia GTX 1070 Ti or Intel Arc A770
CPU: 6 cores and 12 threads Intel Core i5-10400 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 or AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme
DirectX Version: DirectX12 API, Hardware Feature Level 11
GPU VRAM: 8GB
OS: Windows 11
Drivers and Versions: Latest Version as of January 2026

Chris Smith

About

I'm a freelance writer based in South Florida with bylines for Trusted Reviews Wareable, Wired UK, Shortlist. DigitalSpy, FourFourTwo, The Observer, Empire Online, TechRadar and T3. I have authored more than 10 books on how to use technology for Flametree Publishing. I'm a podcast host for The Liverpool Way and teach yoga in my spare time.