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The next Xbox could play every Xbox game ever made
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- DeepHorus
Microsoft's next-generation console, Project Helix, could theoretically boast the largest library in home console history. A leaked memo obtained by The Verge's Tom Warren reportedly confirms it will run games from every Xbox generation—2001 original, 2005 Xbox 360, 2013 Xbox One, 2020 Xbox Series—plus new Helix titles. That would place five generations of gaming under one roof.
The leak fills in gaps from earlier announcements. Microsoft already planned limited original Xbox titles on PC and a disc-to-digital system for Xbox One and Series. Now the memo adds Xbox 360 games to PC and states digitized discs can follow users to "any Xbox device," including Helix.
However, this backwards compatibility comes with major caveats. Helix may not even have a disc drive, as Microsoft reportedly remains undecided. More importantly, every title requires publisher opt-in, meaning publishers set prices, choose availability, and decide whether games join Game Pass.
The memo is effectively a sales pitch to publishers. One section, "Why publishers win," argues they can profit by selling old games as new again. The disc-to-digital pitch is "Turn physical disc owners into digital customers," hoping to spur future digital purchases.
These limitations echo past industry struggles. Nvidia's GeForce Now faced publisher backlash when it streamed purchased games without permission, forcing an opt-in model. Similarly, some publishers may withhold games or later revoke consent, as seen with delisted titles like Forza Horizon.
Microsoft itself has a mixed record in preservation. Between 2015 and 2021, it made roughly a quarter of the Xbox 360 library and 6 percent of the original Xbox library playable on newer consoles. Even as a massive publisher, it cannot unilaterally guarantee every title will return.
For now, players should temper expectations. The promise of "every Xbox game ever made" depends on thousands of licensing agreements that could change at any time. Still, if Microsoft succeeds, Project Helix would redefine console backwards compatibility—a significant win for game preservation.
