Skate 3 & Scary Girl enter Xbox’s Backward Compatibility list

Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) announced Xbox 360 game Skate 3 joined the library of Xbox One Backward Compatibility titles. The technology company also launched Scarygirl to celebrate the first anniversary of its backward compatibility program.

Earlier this week, Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3 arrived at the Xbox One catalog.

Other titles recently added include Guardian Heroes (TM), Operation Flashpoint: Red River, Limbo, Blue Dragon, Killer Is Dead, Shred Nebula, Rage, and Galaga Legions.

When launched, the Xbox One was not backward compatible with the Xbox 360 console.

Initially, Microsoft attempted to employ a cloud streaming platform to allow Xbox 360 games to be playable on Xbox One. However, Microsoft considered it would be too problematic.

Instead, Microsoft chose to run supported Xbox 360 games within a software emulator on the Xbox One. The Xbox One Backward Compatibility program Launched on November 12, 2015, as part of the New Xbox One Experience with 104 Xbox 360 games.

Today, There are more than 280 Xbox 360 games on Xbox One

Since then, Microsoft has added over 170 games more. Most notably, the company has ported Halo: Reach, Fable III, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings.

Last May, Microsoft introduced Xbox 360 titles with multiple discs, starting with Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director’s Cut. Additionally, all Xbox 360 Games with Gold titles since the program launched are playable on Xbox One.

Backward compatibility recently added games
Most recent games added to the Xbox Backward Compatible list. Image: Xbox.

Now it was the turn for the fan favorite Skate 3. The game was one of the most requested titles in the Xbox One backward compatibility charts. With close to 40,000 votes, Skate 3 shrugged off competition from big titles like Halo 3, BioShock 2 and Call of Duty: Ghosts.

How to use the Xbox One Backward Compatibility feature

Xbox 360 games do not run directly on the Xbox One from discs. Most titles are available in the Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA). Other games, like Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3, are only downloadable through physical media. So players need the discs for validation purposes.

If players own a supported game as a disc, they will have to insert it. Next, they have to download the game to their Xbox One hard drive. Finally, the Xbox One system will check for the disc before launching the ported version of the title.

Conversely, if players already purchased the game digitally through Xbox Live, they just have to log in and then re-download the game on Xbox One at no additional cost. For example, XBLA title Scarygirl has a $9.99 price tag.

Source: Xbox Wire‎