Xbox Fans Have Already Cast 350,000 Votes for Backwards Compatibility Games

Microsoft may not have officially revived the Xbox backwards compatibility program yet, but demand from players already appears massive.

Xbox VP of next-generation Jason Ronald recently pointed fans toward an unofficial Xbox Game Preservation voting website where users can request older titles for potential backwards compatibility support. According to Pure Xbox, the site has already recorded more than 350,000 total votes and roughly 40,000 unique submissions from Xbox players.

The voting system reportedly allows users to submit up to 10 votes per day across original Xbox and Xbox 360 games.

Original Xbox classics dominate requests

Many of the most requested original Xbox titles come from the early 2000s era of arcade racers, platformers, and licensed action games.

Leading requests reportedly include:

• The Simpsons: Hit & Run
• Jet Set Radio Future
• Need for Speed: Underground 2
• Sonic Heroes
• Def Jam: Fight for NY
• Burnout 3: Takedown
• Spider-Man 2
• Ultimate Spider-Man
• Crash Twinsanity
• Sonic Riders

Several of these games remain unavailable on modern Xbox hardware despite maintaining strong cult followings years later.

Xbox 360 requests heavily focused on Activision-era titles

The Xbox 360 category appears dominated by older licensed games, especially Transformers and Marvel-related releases.

Top requests reportedly include:

• Transformers: War for Cybertron
• Transformers: Fall of Cybertron
• Need for Speed: Most Wanted
• Transformers: Devastation
• Transformers: Dark of the Moon
• Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions
• Transformers: The Game
• Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
• Spider-Man: Web of Shadows
• Deadpool

Many of these titles disappeared from digital storefronts years ago due to expired licensing agreements.

Licensing could become the biggest obstacle

Even if Microsoft decides to expand backwards compatibility support again, bringing many of these games back may prove difficult.

Older racing games often include licensed music that requires renegotiation. Marvel and Transformers titles also involve multiple rights holders, publisher agreements, and expired distribution deals.

Microsoft would also need to ensure the games function properly on modern Xbox Series X|S hardware while maintaining performance and stability standards.

Demand for preservation remains strong

Outside major franchises, players also pushed for several lesser-known cult classics, including Alpha Protocol, Eternal Sonata, Brute Force, Wet, The Saboteur, Darkwatch, Gun, Singularity, Remember Me, and 25 to Life.

The voting activity highlights how much interest still exists around Xbox game preservation and legacy support across both the original Xbox and Xbox 360 generations.

In other Xbox news, questions still remain around Microsoft’s long-term exclusivity strategy, although more Project Helix details are reportedly expected later this year.