Phil Spencer leaves door open for Xbox 360 emulation on Windows 10

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Unlikely, but possible.

The question has been raised on Twitter as to whether we will ever see backwards compatibility for Xbox 360 games added to Windows 10, and the answer might surprise you. Rather than shut things down with a definitive 'no,' Xbox head Phil Spencer left the door ever-so-slightly ajar by responding, "Never say never."

That doesn't mean anything is imminent. Spencer also noted that compared to the Xbox One, which is backwards compatible with more than 300 Xbox 360 games, it would be "a lot more work" building an Xbox 360 emulator in Windows 10 that runs reliably across many different PC hardware configurations.

Here is the exchange for full context:

In other words, it isn't likely to happen, or at least there doesn't appear to be any current plans of bringing Xbox 360 compatibility to Windows 10, but Spencer isn't willing to rule out such a scenario.

Right now Microsoft is more focused on its upcoming Creators Update for Windows 10. It's a major update that will bring many new features, including a custom interface with VR and AR headsets. Microsoft at the moment seems especially interested in mixed reality experiences and has lined up several hardware partners to introduce new headsets starting at $299.

Paul Lilly
Paul Lilly

Paul has been playing PC games and raking his knuckles on computer hardware since the Commodore 64. He does not have any tattoos, but thinks it would be cool to get one that reads LOAD"*",8,1. In his off time, he rides motorcycles and wrestles alligators (only one of those is true).