At its launch in November 2005, the Xbox 360 did not possess hardware-based backward compatibility with Xbox games due to the different types of hardware and architecture used in the Xbox and Xbox 360. Instead backward compatibility was achieved using software emulation. When the Xbox 360 launched in North America 212 Xbox games were supported while in Europe 156 games were supported. The Japanese market had the fewest titles supported at launch with only 12 games. Microsoft's final update to the list of backward compatible titles was in November 2007 bringing the final total to 466 Xbox games. In order to use the backwards compatibility feature on Xbox 360 a hard drive is required. Supported original Xbox games will run each with an emulation profile that has been recompiled for each game with the emulation profiles stored on the console's hard drive. Original Xbox games must use the original game disc and can not be installed to the hard drive unlike Xbox 360 games. System link functionality between original Xbox and Xbox 360 remains available. Microsoft launched the
Xbox Originals program in December 2007 where Xbox 360 owners could purchase select original Xbox titles digitally if they did not own a game disc and such could be found inside their own section in the Xbox Live Marketplace. Beginning in June 2009 the branding was phased out and the games were moved to the "Games on Demand" section of the store with Microsoft stating that they have "finished its portfolio" of Xbox Originals. During
Microsoft's E3 2017 press conference on June 11, 2017, backward compatibility for original Xbox games on
Xbox One family of consoles was announced. Part of the backward compatibility program for Xbox One will see original Xbox games be made available digitally in addition to owners of the original Xbox game disc. Prior to the first batch of original Xbox backward compatible titles for Xbox One were revealed six titles that were never released digitally as part of
Xbox Originals program for Xbox 360 appeared in its "Games on Demand" store. Microsoft also confirmed that digital licenses would also carry over to Xbox One. Game saves for original Xbox games that are backward compatible on both Xbox 360 and Xbox One cannot be transferred between the three generations. While Xbox Live functionality will not be available, Albert Penello, head of marketing for Xbox, explained users could "system link an original Xbox, an Xbox 360, an Xbox One and an Xbox One X for a four-player system-link LAN play with all original discs across three generations of consoles." ==List of compatible Xbox games==