In case you were unaware, Xbox announced the Xbox One Backward Compatibility program during their Xbox E3 Briefing. The backward compatibility functionality is currently available to those in the Xbox Preview Program and will be rolling out to all users in the fall. We take a quick look at how it works and include the current Xbox one Backward Compatibility list which we will update as more games are added to the program.
The process is really easy. Any Xbox 360 games that you already own that are backward compatible will appear in the “Ready to Install” section on your Xbox One. If you have a physical disc for a backwards compatible game, simply insert the disc into your Xbox One and it will begin a download of the game, and once it is installed you’ll be able to play – and like on the Xbox 360, you’ll need to keep your disc in the Xbox One.
Xbox One’s backward compatibility lets you keep your game saves, add-ons, and achievements, as well as enjoying Xbox One features like Game DVR, screenshots, and Windows 10 streaming. You’ll even be able to play multiplayer on your Xbox One with friends still playing the game on the Xbox 360.
UPDATED (06/25/2017):Due to the huge number of games on this list, we will no longer be updating it. However, you can keep up with newly added games over on Major Nelson’s blog.
UPDATED (05/24/2017): Added Assassin’s Creed III, ilomilo, Matt Hazard: BBB, Shadow Assault/Tenchu, and Shinobi.
UPDATED (05/05/2017): Added Band of Bugs, Bullet Soul, Bullet Soul -Infinite Burst-, Hard Corps: Uprising, and Harms Way.
UPDATED (05/02/2017): Added Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 and Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions Evolved.
UPDATED (04/27/2017): Added Alaskan Adventures, Cabela’s Dangerous Hunts 2013, Cabela’s Hunting Expeditions, Cabela’s Survival: SoK, Dead Space 2, and Dead Space 3.
UPDATED (04/26/2017): Added Assault Heroes 2, Commanders: Attack, and TimeShift.
UPDATED (04/20/2017): Added 3D Ultra Minigolf, Contra, Gin Rummy, Golf: Tee It Up!, and RoboBlitz.
UPDATED (04/11/2017): Added Call of Duty: Black Ops II.
UPDATED (04/05/2017): Added Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet and Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution.
UPDATED (03/30/2017): Added Far Cry 3.
UPDATED (03/28/2017): Added Army of Two and Soltrio Solitaire.
UPDATED (03/23/2017): Added Assassin’s Creed Revelations, Darksiders, and Darksiders II.
UPDATED (03/21/2017): Added DAYTONA USA, Stacking, and Tower Bloxx Deluxe.
UPDATED (03/15/2017): Added Luxor 2, Madballs Babo: Invasion, Poker Smash, and STREET FIGHTER IV.
UPDATED (03/02/2017): Added Cars 2: The Video Game, Dead Rising 2: Case West, Dead Rising 2: Case Zero, and Meet the Robinsons.
UPDATED (02/23/2017): Added Assassin’s Creed Rogue, Borderlands 2, Gyromancer, The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match, Moon Diver, and Space Invaders Infinity Gene.
UPDATED (02/14/2017): Added Hitman: Absolution.
UPDATED (02/09/2017): Added GTA IV.
UPDATED (02/07/2017): Added LEGO Indiana Jones.
UPDATED (01/31/2017): Added JUJU, Mad Tracks, and Stuntman: Ignition.
UPDATED (01/24/2017): Added Alice: Madness Returns.
UPDATED (01/19/2017): Added Midway Arcade Origins, Mutant Storm Empire, and TEKKEN 6.
UPDATED (01/12/2017): Added Beat’n Groovy, MEGA MAN 9, and MEGA MAN 10.
UPDATED (12/17/2016): Added Bully Scholarship Ed., Catherine, CLANNAD (only available in Japan), Planets Under Attack, Raskulls, and Skydive.
UPDATED (01/11/2017): Added Battlefield 3 (Disc Only), Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Dragon Age: Origins, Ghostbusters, Scrap Metal, The Splatters, and Strania.
UPDATED (12/14/2016): Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey are now backward compatible digitally as well.
UPDATED (12/13/2016): Added BioShock, BioShock 2, and BioShock Infinite.
UPDATED (12/08/2016): Added Shadowrun, Shotest Shogi, and Space Ark.
UPDATED (12/02/2016): Added Haunted House, Injustice: Gods Among Us, and Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition (disc only)
UPDATED (11/30/2016): Added Astropop, MOH Airborne, Oblivion, and Trine 2.
UPDATED (11/22/2016): Added Burnout Paradise, Pure (disc only), and Rayman Legends.
UPDATED (11/18/2016): Added Dead Space Ignition, Escape Dead Island, Military Madness, and Omega Five.
UPDATED (11/10/2016): Added Scarygirl and Skate 3.
UPDATED (11/08/2016): Added Guardian Heroes and OFP: Red River (disc only, except Japan).
UPDATED (11/07/2016): Added Mass Effect 2 (disc only) and Mass Effect 3 (disc only).
UPDATED (11/03/2016): Added LIMBO.
UPDATED (11/02/2016): Added Blue Dragon (disc only).
UPDATED (10/28/2016): Added Killer Is Dead, RAGE (disc only), and Shred Nebula.
UPDATED (10/20/2016): Added Galaga Legions, Joe Danger 2: The Movie, and The Orange Box.
UPDATED (10/17/2016): Added Eat Lead, Puzzle Quest, and Silent Hill: Downpour.
UPDATED (10/12/2016): Added Battlestations: Midway, Dragon’s Lair, Jurassic Park: The Game, and Tour de France 2011 (not available in all regions).
UPDATED (10/04/2016): Added Puzzle Quest 2, Puzzle Quest Galactrix, and Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed.
UPDATED (10/01/2016): Added Guwange, Lost Odyssey (disc only), and Toy Story 3.
UPDATED (09/27/2016): Added Call of Duty: World at War, E4, EnclevermentExperiment, and FunTown Mahjong.
UPDATED (09/22/2016): Added Call of Duty 3.
UPDATED (09/16/2016): Added Bound by Flame, The Maw, and Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown.
UPDATED (09/08/2016): Added Bejeweled 3, Deathspank T.O.V., Gatling Gears, ARKANOID Live!, Bayonetta, de Blob 2, Of Orcs and Men (not available in all regions), and QIX++.
UPDATED (08/30/2016): Added Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and Forza Horizon.
UPDATED (08/26/2016): Added Joust.
UPDATED (08/23/2016): Added Shank 2, Bomberman Battlefest, and Call of Duty 2.
UPDATED (08/09/2016): Added Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon, Mr. DRILLER Online, NEW RALLY-X, and NIN2-JUMP.
UPDATED (07/28/2016): Added Boom Boom Rocket, Syberia, and Triggerheart Exelica.
UPDATED (07/21/2016): Added Bionic Commando Rearmed 2, CAPCOM ARCADE CABINET, CRYSTAL DEFENDERS, FLOCK!, Fret Nice, HALF-MINUTE HERO -Super Mega Neo Climax-, NEOGEO BATTLE COLISEUM, PAC-MAN MUSEUM, SONIC 4 Episode II, SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 4 Episode I, and Tour de France 2009.
UPDATED (07/15/2016): Added Interpol.
UPDATED (07/08/2016): YAY! Added Red Dead Redemption!
UPDATED (07/04/2016): Added Bloodforge, Go! Go! Break Steady, Gripshift, and Mars: War Logs.
UPDATED (06/23/2016): Added Blood Knights, Comic Jumper, Crystal Quest, Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara, Fallout: New Vegas, I Am Alive, Joe Danger Special Edition, and Red Faction: Battlegrounds.
UPDATED (06/16/2016): Added Babel Rising, Brain Challenge, Flashback, Left 4 Dead, and Portal 2.
UPDATED (06/10/2016): Added Foul Play, MONOPOLY PLUS, SEGA Bass Fishing, and XCOM: Enemy Within
UPDATED (05/27/2016): Added SSX.
UPDATED (05/24/2016): Added Domino Master, DuckTales: Remastered, Hexic 2, Magic 2012, Unbound Saga, and XCOM: Enemy Unknown.
UPDATED (05/17/2016): Added Call of Duty: Black Ops.
UPDATED (05/11/2016): Added Deus Ex: Human Revolution – Director’s Cut, Faery: Legends of Avalon, Final Fight: Double Impact, Frogger 2, and Puzzlegeddon.
UPDATED (05/06/2016): Added DIG DUG, Phantasy Star II, Runner2, Samurai Shodown II, and Sonic & Knuckles.
UPDATED (05/04/2016): Just in time for #Maythe4th! Added Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II.
UPDATED (05/03/2016): Added Jet Set Radio, MX vs. ATX Reflex, and Texas Hold ‘Em.
UPDATED (04/29/2016): Added Frogger and Galaga Legions DX.
UPDATED (04/27/2016): Added Altered Beast, The Cave, Comix Zone, Double Dragon Neon, and Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime.
UPDATED (04/22/2016): Added Rayman Origins.
UPDATED (04/15/2016): Added Duke Nukem Manhattan Project, Garou: Mark of the Wolves, Sonic the Fighters, DOOM 3 BFG Edition (disc version only), and Monaco: What’s Yours is Mine.
UPDATED (04/06/2016): Added Gunstar Heroes and Outland.
UPDATED (03/29/2016): Added Left 4 Dead 2.
UPDATED (03/28/2016): Added Halo Wars, Soul Calibur II HD, and The King of Fighters ’98 Ultimate Match.
UPDATED (03/24/2016): Added Dark Souls and Tekken Tag Tournament 2. Added Dead Space and Saints Row IV (coming in April with Games with Gold).
UPDATED (03/21/2016): Added Alan Wake, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, PAC-MAN, Assassin’s Creed, Dark Void, and GRID 2.
UPDATED (02/15/2016): Added Galaga.
UPDATED (01/21/2016): Added 10 new games: Aegis Wing, Age of Booty, Counter-Strike: GO, Jeremy McGrath’s Offroad, Sam & Max Save the World, Skullgirls, Small Arms, Soulcalibur, Space Giraffe, and The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings.
UPDATED (12/17/2015): Added 16 new games: Braid, DEUS EX: HUMAN REVOLUTION, Doritos Crash Course, Fable III, Halo: Reach, Hydro Thunder, Iron Brigade, Kane & Lynch 2, Motocross Madness, MS. PAC-MAN, Peggle, Portal: Still Alive, Spelunky, Splosion Man, Ticket to Ride, and Zuma’s Revenge.
UPDATE (11/25/2015): Added December Games with Gold — CastleStorm, Sacred 3, Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising.
UPDATE (11/09/2015): Added Xbox One Backward Compatibility Launch games.
UPDATE (09/04/2015): Added Gears of War, Shadow Complex, and Borderlands.
UPDATE (06/17/2015): It appears that when you are playing an Xbox 360 game, you need to use the Xbox 360 party menu (see tip below on how to bring up Xbox 360 menu) and all members of the party must be playing Xbox 360 games. When trying to form a party using the Xbox One party app, those playing Xbox 360 games will not be able to connect to the party. Hopefully this is something that Xbox will fix in the future!
TIP: Press the View and Menu button on your Xbox One controller to simulate the Xbox button and bring up the Xbox 360 menu when playing an Xbox 360 game, pressing the Xbox button will take you to your Xbox One home screen.
Xbox plans to have over 100 titles ready this fall, but in the meantime check out the list of games you can play today if you are in the Xbox Preview Program. We’ll try to keep this list up to date, so if there’s any that you’ve confirmed are working and we’ve missed, let us know so we can update our list!
- 3D Ultra Minigolf
- A Kingdom for Keflings
- A World of Keflings
- Aegis Wing
- Age of Booty
- Alan Wake
- Alan Wake’s American Nightmare
- Alice: Madness Returns
- Alien Hominid HD
- Altered Beast
- ARKANOID Live!
- Army of Two
- Assassin’s Creed
- Assassin’s Creed II
- Assassin’s Creed III
- Assassin’s Creed Revelations
- Assassin’s Creed Rogue
- Assault Heroes 2
- Asteroids & Deluxe
- Astropop
- Babel Rising
- Band of Bugs
- Banjo-Kazooie
- Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts
- Banjo-Tooie
- BattleBlock Theater
- Battlefield: Bad Company 2
- Battlefield 3 (Disc Only)
- Battlestations: Midway
- Bayonetta
- Beat’n Groovy
- Bejeweled 2
- Bejeweled 3
- Bellator: MMA Onslaught
- Beyond Good & Evil HD
- Bionic Commando Rearmed 2
- BioShock
- BioShock 2
- BioShock Infinite
- Blood Knights
- Blood of the Werewolf
- Bloodforge
- BloodRayne: Betrayal
- Blue Dragon
(disc only) - Bomberman Battlefest
- Boom Boom Rocket
- Borderlands
- Borderlands 2
- Bound by Flame
- Braid
- Brain Challenge
- Bullet Soul
- Bullet Soul -Infinite Burst-
- Bully Scholarship Ed.
- Burnout Paradise
- Cabela’s Dangerous Hunts 2013
- Cabela’s Hunting Expeditions
- Cabela’s Survival: SoK
- Call of Duty: Black Ops
- Call of Duty: Black Ops II
- Call of Duty: World at War
- Call of Duty 2
- Call of Duty 3
- Call of Juarez Gunslinger
- CAPCOM ARCADE CABINET
- Cars 2: The Video Game
- Castle Crashers
- Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse
- CastleStorm
- Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
- Catherine
- The Cave
- Centipede & Millipede
- CLANNAD
- Comic Jumper
- Comix Zone
- Commanders: Attack
- Condemned: Criminal Origins
- Contra
- Counter-Strike: GO
- Crazy Taxi
- CRYSTAL DEFENDERS
- Crystal Quest
- Dark Souls
- Dark Void
- Darksiders
- Darksiders II
- DAYTONA USA
- de Blob 2
- Dead Rising 2: Case West
- Dead Rising 2: Case Zero
- Dead Space
- Dead Space 2
- Dead Space 3
- Dead Space Ignition
- Deadliest Warrior: Legends
- Deathspank T.O.V.
- Defense Grid: The Awakening
- DEUS EX: HUMAN REVOLUTION
- Deus Ex: Human Revolution – Director’s Cut
- DIG DUG
- DiRT 3
- DiRT Showdown
- Discs of Tron
- Domino Master
- Doom
- Doom II
- DOOM 3 BFG Edition (disc version only)
- Doritos Crash Course
- Double Dragon Neon
- Dragon Age: Origins
- Dragon’s Lair
- DuckTales: Remastered
- Duke Nukem Manhattan Project
- Dungeon Siege III
- Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara
- Earthworm Jim HD
- Eat Lead
- E4
- EnclevermentExperiment
- Escape Dead Island
- Fable II
- Fable III
- Faery: Legends of Avalon
- Fallout 3
- Fallout: New Vegas
- Far Cry 3
- Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon
- Feeding Frenzy
- Feeding Frenzy 2: Shipwreck Showdown
- Final Fight: Double Impact
- Flashback
- FLOCK!
- Forza Horizon
- Foul Play
- Fret Nice
- Frogger
- Frogger 2
- FunTown Mahjong
- Galaga Legions
- Galaga Legions DX
- Garou: Mark of the Wolves
- Gatling Gears
- Gears of War
- Gears of War 2
- Gears of War 3
- Gears of War: Judgment
- Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2
- Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions Evolved
- Ghostbusters
- Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime
- Gin Rummy
- Go! Go! Break Steady
- Golden Axe
- Golf: Tee It Up!
- GRID 2
- Gripshift
- GTA IV
- Guardian Heroes
- Gunstar Heroes
- Guwange
- Gyromancer
- HALF-MINUTE HERO -Super Mega Neo Climax-
- Halo: Reach
- Halo: Spartan Assault
- Hard Corps: Uprising
- Hardwood Backgammon
- Hardwood Hearts
- Hardwood Spades
- Harms Way
- Haunted House
- Heavy Weapon
- Hexic 2
- Hexic HD
- Hitman: Absolution
- Hydro Thunder
- I Am Alive
- Ikaruga
- ilomilo
- Injustice: Gods Among Us
- Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition (disc only)
- Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
- Interpol
- Iron Brigade
- Jeremy McGrath’s Offroad
- Jet Set Radio
- Jetpac Refuelled
- Joe Danger Special Edition
- Joe Danger 2: The Movie
- Joust
- Joy Ride Turbo
- JUJU
- Jurassic Park: The Game
- Just Cause 2
- Kameo: Elements of Power
- Kane & Lynch 2
- Killer Is Dead
- The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match
- Left 4 Dead
- Left 4 Dead 2
- LEGO Batman
- LEGO Indiana Jones
- LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game
- LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
- LIMBO
- Lode Runner
- Lost Odyssey (disc only)
- LUMINES LIVE!
- Luxor 2
- Madballs Babo: Invasion
- Mad Tracks
- Magic 2012
- Mars: War Logs
- Mass Effect
- Mass Effect 2 (disc only)
- Mass Effect 3 (disc only)
- Matt Hazard: BBB
- The Maw
- Meet the Robinsons
- MEGA MAN 9
- MEGA MAN 10
- Metal Slug 3
- Metal Slug XX
- Midway Arcade Origins
- Might & Magic Clash of Heroes
- Military Madness
- Mirror’s Edge
- Missile Command
- MOH Airborne
- Monaco: What’s Yours is Mine
- Monday Night Combat
- Monkey Island: Special Edition
- Monkey Island 2: Special Edition
- MONOPOLY PLUS
- Moon Diver
- Motocross Madness
- Mr. DRILLER Online
- MS. PAC-MAN
- Ms. Splosion Man
- Mutant Blobs Attack!!!
- Mutant Storm Empire
- MX vs. ATV Reflex
- N+
- NBA JAM: On Fire Edition
- NEOGEO BATTLE COLISEUM
- NEW RALLY-X
- NiGHTS into dreams…
- NIN2-JUMP
- Oblivion
- Of Orcs and Men (not available in all regions)
- OFP: Red River
- Omega Five
- Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising
- The Orange Box
- Outland
- PAC-MAN
- Pac-Man: Championship Edition
- Pac-Man: Championship Edition DX+
- PAC-MAN MUSEUM
- Peggle
- Perfect Dark
- Perfect Dark Zero
- Phantasy Star II
- Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds
- Pinball FX
- Planets Under Attack
- Plants vs. Zombies
- Poker Smash
- Portal: Still Alive
- Portal 2
- Prince of Persia
- Pure (disc only)
- Putty Squad
- Puzzlegeddon
- Puzzle Quest
- Puzzle Quest 2
- Puzzle Quest Galactrix
- QIX++
- R-Type Dimensions
- RAGE (disc only)
- Raskulls
- Rayman 3 HD
- Rayman Legends
- Rayman Origins
- Red Dead Redemption
- Red Faction: Battlegrounds
- RoboBlitz
- Runner2
- Sacred Citadel
- Saints Row IV
- Sam & Max Save the World
- Samurai Shodown II
- Scarygirl
- Scrap Metal
- SEGA Bass Fishing
- Sega Vintage Collection: Alex Kidd & Co.
- Sega Vintage Collection: Golden Axe
- Sega Vintage Collection: Monster World
- Sega Vintage Collection: Streets of Rage
- Shadow Assault/Tenchu
- Shadow Complex
- Shadowrun
- Shank 2
- Shinobi
- Shotest Shogi
- Shred Nebula
- Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution
- Silent Hill: Downpour
- Skullgirls
- Skydive
- Small Arms
- Soltrio Solitaire
- Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
- Sonic & Knuckles
- Sonic CD
- Sonic the Fighters
- Sonic The Hedgehog
- Sonic The Hedgehog 2
- Sonic The Hedgehog 3
- SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 4 Episode I
- SONIC 4 Episode II
- Soulcalibur
- South Park: The Stick of Truth
- Space Ark
- Space Giraffe
- Space Invaders Infinity Gene
- Spelunky
- The Splatters
- Splosion Man
- SSX
- Stacking
- Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
- Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II
- Strania
- STREET FIGHTER IV
- Stuntman: Ignition
- Super Meat Boy
- Supreme Commander 2
- Syberia
- TEKKEN 6
- Tekken Tag Tournament 2
- Texas Hold ‘Em
- Ticket to Ride
- TimeShift
- Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas
- Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas 2
- Tour de France 2009
- Tour de France 2011 (not available in all regions)
- Torchlight
- Tower Bloxx Deluxe
- Toy Soldiers
- Toy Soldiers: Cold War
- Toy Story 3
- Trials HD
- Triggerheart Exelica
- Trine 2
- Tron: Evolution
- Unbound Saga
- Ugly Americans: Apocalypsegeddon
- Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown
- Viva Piñata
- Viva Piñata: Trouble In Paradise
- The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
- Wolfenstein 3D
- XCOM: Enemy Unknown
- XCOM: Enemy Within
- Zuma
- Zuma’s Revenge!
You can also request and vote for games you’d like to see added to the list. No guarantee they’ll get added, but it just might entice developers to give Microsoft the go ahead to add them to the list!
Have you tried out a backwards compatible game yet? How did it work out for you? What games do you hope get added to the list? Is there any that you’ve played that aren’t on our list? Let us know in the comments below, or on Google+, Twitter, or Facebook.
[button link=”http://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-one/backward-compatibility” icon=”fa-external-link” side=”left” target=”blank” color=”285b5e” textcolor=”ffffff”]Source: Xbox[/button]Last Updated on November 27, 2018.
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