Xbox Adds 21 Original Xbox Games to PC Backward Compatibility Lineup

Xbox has expanded its PC backward compatibility program with 21 more games from the original Xbox era, marking a substantial new wave of retro releases as the brand celebrates the console's 25th anniversary. The additions follow four original Xbox titles that arrived in July, bringing the number of games in the initiative to 25.

The update is particularly notable for its enormous concentration of Star Wars games. Eleven of the 21 newly added titles come from Lucasfilm's galaxy far, far away, spanning action games, flight combat, squad-based shooters, Jedi adventures, and two influential role-playing games. The selection makes the early Xbox library look like an especially busy home for Star Wars fans, even though the wider list also includes major names such as The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, TimeSplitters 2, and Red Faction II.

It is also a meaningful update for players interested in Xbox history beyond the biggest franchises. Original Xbox games have often remained difficult to revisit in an official PC setting, especially titles tied closely to that generation's console catalog. Bringing 21 games in at once gives the program a much broader identity than a handful of isolated nostalgia releases. It now contains 25 original Xbox games on PC, a total that neatly matches the 25-year milestone being recognized.

All 21 games added in the new update

The new batch covers a broad stretch of the original Xbox's life, from licensed family games and cinematic action adventures to cult favorites that helped define the system's personality. The complete list is:

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• Armed and Dangerous
• Disney's Chicken Little
• The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
• Grabbed by the Ghoulies
• Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb
• Red Faction II
• Secret Weapons Over Normandy
• Star Wars Battlefront
• Star Wars Battlefront II
• Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
• Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
• Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
• Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter
• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords
• Star Wars: Republic Commando
• Star Wars: Starfighter - Special Edition
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars
• Thrillville
• TimeSplitters 2
• TimeSplitters: Future Perfect

For a single update, that is a strikingly varied lineup. Morrowind represents one of the most important open-ended RPGs of its era, while the two TimeSplitters games bring back fast-paced first-person shooters with arcade-like energy and a reputation for inventive multiplayer modes. Grabbed by the Ghoulies provides a distinctly early-2000s Rare adventure, and Armed and Dangerous adds a cult action game known for its offbeat tone.

Meanwhile, Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb and Secret Weapons Over Normandy reflect an era when licensed games frequently explored very different genres rather than following a single established formula. Thrillville, Disney's Chicken Little, and Red Faction II further underline how eclectic the original Xbox catalog could be.

A huge Star Wars presence

More than half of the newly added games are Star Wars releases. The 11-title group includes the first two Star Wars Battlefront games, both Knights of the Old Republic RPGs, the Jedi Knight pair, and Republic Commando. That covers an unusually wide range of interpretations of the setting, from large-scale warfare and lightsaber action to starfighter combat and party-driven storytelling.

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Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords are likely to draw special attention. Their arrival brings two defining RPGs of the original Xbox period into the program, with the first game in particular remaining a landmark adaptation of the Star Wars universe. The sequel has its own enduring following for its more complicated themes and its distinctive place in the series.

The collection also gives players access to a cluster of games associated with the prequel era. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter, and Star Wars: Starfighter - Special Edition all reflect that period's prominence in game development. Alongside them, Jedi Outcast and Jedi Academy offer lightsaber-focused action from the Jedi Knight series, while Republic Commando delivers a more tactical perspective through an elite clone squad.

The scale of the Star Wars selection means this update is more than a general retro refresh. It effectively creates a concentrated archive of original Xbox-era Star Wars gaming on PC, with entries that approach the franchise from almost every direction available at the time.

Achievements arrive for four original Xbox games

Alongside the expanded library, Xbox is adding achievements to four original Xbox games available through the program: 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 and Reloaded.

Blinx: The Time Sweeper and Conker: Live and Reloaded were among the four original Xbox games released in July, while both KOTOR games are part of the new 21-game drop. The achievement support gives players a modern progression layer while revisiting software from a generation that arrived before achievements became a core part of the Xbox ecosystem.

Xbox has said it plans to add achievements to more of these games in the future. No further titles or timing have been specified, so it remains unclear which games from the current 25-title catalog will be next. Still, the first four establish that the initiative is not limited to simply making older games available again; some releases will receive additional platform features over time.

What the update means for original Xbox preservation

The original Xbox launched at a time when the industry's catalog was quickly moving toward bigger online features, cinematic presentation, and more ambitious 3D worlds. Its games now sit in a complicated part of video game history: recent enough to be remembered clearly by many players, but old enough that access can be inconsistent without older hardware and discs.

That makes a collection like this valuable for more than nostalgia. The new additions preserve a snapshot of how diverse the system's library was. There are licensed games built around blockbuster properties, experimental comedy, open-world role-playing, shooters, arcade-style vehicle combat, and games aimed at younger audiences. The original Xbox was home to major franchises, but it was also a place where mid-sized projects and unusual concepts could find an audience.

The 25-game total is still a selective representation of that era rather than a complete recreation of the console's library. Even so, adding 21 titles at once significantly changes the scope of the PC backward compatibility program. Players can now move between cornerstone releases such as Morrowind and Knights of the Old Republic, celebrated shooters such as TimeSplitters 2, and less frequently revisited curiosities such as Grabbed by the Ghoulies or Secret Weapons Over Normandy.

For Xbox's 25th anniversary, the timing gives the update an appropriately retrospective focus. The platform's early years are often recalled through a relatively short list of headline games, but this release emphasizes how many genres, licenses, and creative approaches existed around those better-known names. With achievements already confirmed for four titles and more planned in the future, the PC program appears positioned to keep giving these original Xbox games a renewed audience.