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Backwards compatible titles are now being made available in the cloud gaming library of Xbox Game Pass. Microsoft announced the news today, stating that subscribers of the service now have the ability to turn their smartphones into a retro Xbox console.
Now, we know what some of you may be thinking. The Xbox, even the original, is not necessarily what many would consider retro. At least not compared to systems like the Super NES. But that’s neither here nor there.
The point is you can now play older generation Xbox games on your phone. Making backwards compatible Xbox titles available in the cloud for Game Pass members was always bound to happen. But now it’s official and they’re available to play right now.
Backwards compatible titles are only available Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members
Just to be clear, you need Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to access any cloud gaming at all. Which means you also need to subscribe to Ultimate to play the backwards compatible titles.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate usually costs $14.99 a month. But sometimes you can find deals on it. And if you’re a first-time subscriber, you can still pick it up for $1 for the first month. Which is honestly a pretty cheap option, and it gives you ample time to know if you want to keep it at the higher price.
Importantly, Microsoft isn’t making every single game available here. You won’t get the same backwards compatible library you have access to on the Series X or Series S. The collection is a lot smaller than that.
There are 16 titles being added from Xbox and Xbox 360
To kick things off Microsoft has added 16 different original titles from the Xbox and the Xbox 360 era. The company does also plan to add more in the near future.
So that 16 titles may be a small collection now but it will expand to include others soon. As for what’s available from today, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will have access to Banjo-Kazooie, Banjo-Tooie, Double Dragon Neon, Fable II, Fallout: New Vegas, Gears Of War 2, Gears Of War 3, Gears Of War: Judgement, Jetpac Refuelled (touch controls enabled), Kameo, Perfect Dark, Perfect Dark Zero, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Viva Piñata (touch controls enabled), and Viva Piñata TIP (touch controls enabled).
As mentioned above more games will be added. But for now these are a good start to reliving some of those good old days of the original Xbox and its follow-up.