One of the Xbox One's most requested features is almost here. Backwards Compatibility is coming on November 12 as part of the New Xbox Experience patch that will update the gaming console's operating system to Windows 10.
At Xbox, we believe that gaming is universal and should be enjoyed by everyone, everywhere. Our philosophy since launching Xbox One two years ago has been to put gamers at the center of everything we do and create the best, most seamless gaming experience possible. We're taking a major step forward in that journey on November 12 when we start rolling out the New Xbox One Experience with Xbox One Backward Compatibility. Says Xbox Director of Program Management Mike Ybarra.
To coincide with the release, Xbox director of programming Larry 'Major Nelson' Hryb revealed the initial 104 Xbox 360 games that will be fully playable when the update goes live. The roster includes some notable names like the full Gears of War trilogy + the prequel Gears of War: Judgement, Fallout 3, and Fable II.
However there are still a lot of glaring absences on this list. None of the last-gen entries in Microsoft's flagship racing series Forza made the cut; same with big names Rockstar titles like Grand Theft Auto IV and Red Dead Redemption.
Additionally, certain franchises appear aren't fully represented on the list. Assassin's Creed II is the only member of Ubisoft's iconic franchise to be backwards compatible, while BioWare's Mass Effect series only has the first instalment on the list so far.
Microsoft stresses that list is just the beginning, and gamers can hope to see more titles added in the future.
"Our launch of 104 titles on Nov. 12 is just the beginning. You can expect new Xbox One Backward Compatible games to be announced on a regular basis, starting in December. More titles are on the way, including fan favorites like Halo Reach, Halo Wars, Call of Duty: Black Ops, Bioshock, Bioshock 2, Bioshock Infinite and Skate 3." Reads the announcement.
