Microsoft seems to be looking to the future while focusing on the past following the Xbox One X reveal. As well as confirming original Xbox games will be playable on Xbox One in the near future, Microsoft got peripheral manufacturer Hyperkin to create a new version of the original Duke Xbox controller.
Now for some more good news: original Xbox games look set to be playable on Windows PCs (eventually).
PC Gamer sat down with Phil Spencer, Head of Xbox, to discuss backwards compatibility on Xbox One, which is set to support Xbox 360 and now original Xbox games. The inevitable question of whether this backwards compatibility could be extended to PCs was raised. Surprisingly, Phil Spencer not only answered "yes," but says he believes it really will happen.
He's talking specifically about original Xbox games, not Xbox 360. That makes sense because the 2001 Xbox used an x86 processor. Although emulation on PC is still going to take a lot of work, the performance is there to handle it in modern PC hardware and the lack of a need to run on a different architecture really helps lower the complexity of the task.
Related
- Xbox Backwards Compatibility Might Not Be Super PopularXbox Backwards Compatibility Might Not Be Super Popular
In total, 1,045 games were released for the Xbox between 2001 and 2009 when the hardware was finally discontinued. Imagine having those games available to play again on your PC (or Xbox One). Halo, Halo 2, Project Gotham Racing, Fable, Ninja Gaiden, Forza Motorport, and Splinter Cell are just a few of the classics worth mentioning.
There's no time frame specified for when this PC emulation could happen, but I imagine it's way down the list of priorities for Team Xbox. Right now they'll be focused on gearing up for the launch of the Xbox One X in November and ensuring Xbox backwards compatibility works across all the Xbox One hardware iterations.
Instagram is highlighting sponsored posts so celebrities can't quietly shill for products.
You might be ready for the Xbox One X, but is your living room?
Over 70 million active users are spending over 600 million hours per week entertaining themselves on PlayStation.
While Project Scorpio was teased at last year's E3, it was only yesterday that we finally got a good look at Microsoft's latest console, now named the Xbox One...
In the future, Kopin tech might help you ditch your smartphone for an AR-enhanced life.
Relax Original Xbox Games Might Be Coming to PCs...Eventually stories
As well as the Centurion, Alpha is offering a very capable little desktop PC with Celeron or Core i5 configuration options.
The long-awaited Xbox One X is coming Nov. 7 with a $499 price tag.
With 8TB, you could store the entire collection of games available with the new Xbox Game Pass, and still have room left over for your own collection.
The latest Windows 10 Insider preview build offers a bunch of new features that writers will appreciate, including the ability to see where you were when you last used your pen.
Initially Microsoft reserved 4GB of RAM for the interface, but they've now got that down to 3GB meaning more RAM for games.
With over 100 games to download and play with Xbox Games Pass, a large external hard drive could come in very handy. Seagate hopes you choose its Xbox-branded storage solution.
With a minor processor refresh, does the MacBook Air still have what it takes to compete with a new ultraportable offering from Microsoft?
Omen-branded PCs, laptops, displays, and accessories are meant to be the perfect fit for esports athletes and competitive gaming.
Upgrading to Windows 10 can result in Kaspersky's protection being disabled, removed, and replaced by Windows Defender.
Developer feedback helped create a stackable development kit with 24GB of RAM, a front-mounted display, and five programmable buttons.
The internal Windows 10 builds that leaked last week ended up revealing a brand new edition of the OS Microsoft is planning for power users.
Promises gaming performance from a Kaby Lake Core i7 complemented by a GTX 1060 GPU in a tiny footprint.
Both mobile and PC versions of internal Windows 10 builds were released by mistake, causing problems for Windows Insiders and even some bricked handsets.
Windows 10 remains the clear favorite operating system, but its use declined slightly while Windows 7 use grew.
If you've been paying attention to what some of the most popular social media apps have been doing as of late, Highlights won't be a new concept.
A standalone Siri speaker would help Apple better compete against the likes of Google Home and Amazon Echo, according to Bloomberg. Look for it at WWDC next week.
The new PCs from Asus, HP, and Lenovo will be sleek, fanless, and feature all-day battery life, but are otherwise still a mystery.
It's not a brand new entry in the series, but a port of the Japan-only 3DS game Monster Hunter XX released in March.
These new features will let you more easily 'see what's happening around you and find stories related to your interests,' Instagram wrote in a blog post.
A new study reveals that YouTube is the 'most positive' social media site for young people, while Instagram and Snapchat are 'the most detrimental' to their mental health.
You have a few days left to buy it, but after that, it's gone until a new music licensing deal can be agreed, which may never happen.
A software developer combines Cortana, the AI sidekick from Halo, and Windows 10 to create what could be a very popular device if Microsoft commercialized it.
Microsoft's Surface Laptop runs a student-focused version of Windows 10, but you can upgrade to Windows 10 Pro for free until Dec. 31.
The Surface Laptop, which starts at $999, runs a new version of Windows 10 for students called Windows 10 S.
A breach discovered over the weekend may have exposed the messages and content in a small number of HipChat rooms, the company said.
Snapchat in its February IPO filing revealed that 'on average, 158 million people' use its app every day. Instagram Stories just beat that.
While we already know a lot about the next-generation console's specs, but we'll have to wait until June to learn more details.
On a single Windows 10 device, you can set up accounts for all the adults and children in your home, and the adults can limit what the kids can do.
If some of the rumors are true, Project Scorpio could be a next-generation console that's much more powerful than the Xbox One.
Microsoft overhauled the user interface, redesign the Guide, and unlocked Beam streaming for everyone.
As well as receiving $100 worth of curated games every month, Humble Trove unlocks access to a full catalog of Humble Originals and other DRM-free games.
Razer's Blade Stealth now has a larger 13.3-inch screen, if you're willing to pay a premium for it.
A mouse is a critical weapon in your PC gaming arsenal, so you need one that's as ready to game as you are. Here are 10 of our favorite gaming mice for smoking the competition.
The Homeland Security and the FBI have issued an alert warning people about the activities of North Korea's hacking group 'Hidden Cobra.'
Dutch copyright group BREIN wins its case against the world's biggest torrent site, but will it matter?
Why park your own car when artificial intelligence can figure out how to do it for you?
Expect to see a lot more Echo-like speakers thanks to Qualcomm.
No bulb to replace, 8.3 million pixels, and as it's a ultra-short throw projector it can be positioned just 4-inches away from a wall.
Welcome to the middle of the week. It was Nintendo's turn to dominate E3, the world's biggest gaming show. Super Mario Odyssey is coming to the Switch this Octo...
The TSA will test the accuracy of its experimental biometric tech at two airports for four weeks.
