Microsoft plans to bring Xbox 360 games to PC
A leaked document seen by The Verge indicates Microsoft will allow developers to bring Xbox 360 games to PC, while also outlining a disc-to-digital license program.
Microsoft is preparing to allow developers to bring their Xbox 360 games to PC, according to a leaked document sent to developers recently and seen by The Verge. The move builds on Microsoft's earlier announcement about bringing original Xbox games to PC. The document says Xbox 360 games will be able to run on the next-generation Project Helix console, “Xbox PCs,” and handheld devices.
Microsoft has already said Helix will play PC games, so adding these older Xbox titles to PC helps create a broader Xbox library that can move between devices, similar to what Steam already offers. Creating these digital licenses also lays groundwork for a future without disc drives. Sony has already called game discs dead, and Microsoft is expected to follow.
For Xbox 360 titles, developers can opt into backward compatibility and will control pricing and whether games appear on Game Pass. The feature is expected to roll out gradually between 2027 and 2028 “across next-gen devices.” The full launch of original Xbox games on PC is set for October 2026; the initial program announced in July included just four games.
The document also includes details on letting players get a digital version of a game they own on a physical disc, as The Verge's Tom Warren reported in July. If a player inserts an Xbox One or Series game disc into an Xbox One or Series X console with a disc drive, they will receive a digital license tied to “that disc and the player's account.” The license follows the player across Xbox devices, but if the disc “changes hands,” the license transfers to the new owner. This means gamers can still trade and sell discs; once the original owner sells the disc, they can no longer play the digital version they got from it.
According to the document, a public beta for the disc-to-digital program was scheduled for July, with general availability in August. Microsoft had originally planned to test the program with Xbox Insiders in July, but the beta was delayed. It is unclear whether the August availability timeline is still accurate.
These planned changes follow Microsoft's major Xbox “reset” announced in July, which included thousands of layoffs and the sale of four studios.
