Xbox brings more original games to PC and adds achievements

Xbox has made 21 more original Xbox games playable on PC through its backward compatibility program, bringing the PC catalogue to 25 titles. The update also adds achievements for the first time to four games: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, Blinx: The Time Sweeper and Conker: Live & Reloaded.

The release is part of Xbox’s twenty-fifth anniversary celebration and gives players a new way to revisit games from the original console era. It also expands Microsoft’s preservation effort beyond its own hardware, though access comes with important limits around operating system requirements, markets and game availability.

Twenty-one games join the PC catalogue

The new PC additions include The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, Grabbed by the Ghoulies, Indiana Jones and the Emperor’s Tomb, Red Faction II, TimeSplitters 2 and TimeSplitters: Future Perfect. The list also contains a large collection of Star Wars games, including Battlefront, Battlefront II, Knights of the Old Republic, Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast and Republic Commando.

Other additions include Armed and Dangerous, Disney’s Chicken Little, Secret Weapons Over Normandy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Thrillville and Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter. Together, the 21 games join four titles that were already available on PC: Blinx: The Time Sweeper, Conker: Live & Reloaded, Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge and Fuzion Frenzy.

That mix reaches across genres and audiences. Players can return to role-playing games, shooters, action adventures and family titles, while people who missed the original Xbox generation get access to games that helped define its library.

Achievements arrive for four classics

The new achievements apply to Blinx, Conker and both Knights of the Old Republic games. Xbox says it worked with the relevant developers and publishers to design achievement lists that fit each game. The additions also apply when the games are played on Xbox One and Xbox Series consoles, following the relevant system update.

Some achievements may unlock based on progress players have already made. That gives returning players a chance to receive credit for accomplishments they earned before achievements were available, though the exact unlocks will depend on the individual game and its save data.

Xbox plans to add achievements to more original Xbox games over time, but it has not provided a schedule or identified the next titles.

PC access has requirements

The PC backward compatibility feature requires Windows 11, and Xbox says availability is limited to supported markets. Players need to download the games, and a purchase or Game Pass subscription may be required depending on the title. Not every game in the expanded catalogue is included with Game Pass.

Xbox has also added mouse-and-keyboard support across the original four PC titles and says it has improved their performance and stability. Those changes make the service more practical for PC players, while preserving controller support for games designed around the original console.

Preservation with practical limits

Bringing older games to current hardware helps keep them accessible, but backward compatibility is not the same as a remaster. These releases preserve the original games rather than rebuilding them with modern visuals or redesigned systems. Some features may vary by title, and original online services are not necessarily available.

The expansion is still a meaningful step for players who want to revisit these games without tracking down an original console. Xbox has brought a broad selection of its first-generation catalogue to PC and begun adding achievements to selected titles. The next measure of the program’s value will be how consistently Microsoft adds more games and how clearly it communicates which titles are available in each region and subscription tier.