Xbox 25th Anniversary Announcements: Wolfenstein 3, Halo Firefight, 25 Original Xbox Games on PC, Playback and Free Rewards

Xbox turns 25 on Sunday, November 15, and Microsoft used the final stop of its FanFest tour in Seattle, the city where the original console was born, to put most of its anniversary cards on the table a few days early. The headline is a new Wolfenstein. Around it sits a cluster of smaller but very practical changes: a free cooperative mode for the Halo remake, a large expansion of original Xbox backward compatibility on Windows, achievements for games that never had them, and a list of free items that are easy to miss if you do not know where to claim them.

This guide collects everything announced on November 12, explains what each item actually means for players, and lists the dates and deadlines that matter over the next few weeks. Official details come from Xbox Wire's anniversary recap and the individual posts linked throughout.

Wolfenstein 3 Is Officially in Production

The biggest single announcement was the confirmation that Wolfenstein 3 is in production at MachineGames. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma made the announcement, calling Wolfenstein "a franchise with an important place in gaming history" and saying she is excited to see the team continue its story.

MachineGames confirmed two returning cast members: Brian Bloom returns as BJ Blazkowicz and Debra Wilson returns as Grace Walker. Those two names say a good deal about where the story is headed. Bloom has voiced BJ since The New Order in 2014, and Grace Walker was one of the central resistance leaders in The New Colossus in 2017. Bringing both back points to a direct continuation of the main storyline rather than a reboot or another side story in the vein of Youngblood.

What has not been shared is equally important for anyone planning ahead:

• No release date or window has been announced.
• No platforms were listed, although the studio is owned by Microsoft and its recent work, including Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, has launched on Xbox and PC with later releases on other consoles.
• No gameplay, trailer footage or story details beyond the two returning actors were part of the announcement.

The timing makes sense. The New Colossus ended with BJ's resistance sparking a wider revolution in Nazi-occupied America, and a numbered sequel has been one of the most requested follow-ups from that era of Bethesda shooters. With MachineGames having shipped Indiana Jones and its expansion, the studio now has the bandwidth for its flagship series again.

id Software's next project is also in development

In the same segment, Sharma confirmed that id Software's next project is in development. No title, genre or timing was given. id's most recent release is DOOM: The Dark Ages, which keeps receiving new content in the meantime (more on Slaughter Mode below), so the confirmation is best read as a signal that the studio's post-Dark Ages plans are already moving rather than as an imminent reveal.

Firefight Comes to Halo: Campaign Evolved

Firefight, the four-player cooperative wave survival mode that first appeared in Halo 3: ODST, is coming to Halo: Campaign Evolved as part of a free Winter Update. According to the Halo Firefight announcement, the mode will include new maps and a wide selection of weapons for teams holding the line against waves of enemies.

Key points so far:

• Price: free for owners of Halo: Campaign Evolved.
• Players: four-player cooperative PvE.
• Timing: "this winter." No exact date has been announced.
• First hands-on: FanFest attendees in Seattle played it on November 12.
• More details: Halo Studios will share more about the update at Halo Fest, December 12 to 13 in Seattle, where attendees can play Firefight all weekend.

This matters for the remake's long-term life. Halo: Campaign Evolved is a rebuild of the original campaign with three new missions, nine extra weapons, Skull modifiers, and up to four-player online co-op with crossplay and cross-progression. It does not have the competitive multiplayer that kept earlier Halo releases busy for years, so a replayable cooperative mode gives co-op groups a reason to keep coming back once the campaign is finished. Because Firefight historically leans on Covenant variety, vehicle play and weapon drops, the remake's expanded arsenal and drivable Wraith are a natural fit.

The Standard Edition has a list price of $49.99 and the Premium Edition at $69.99, and the game is included with Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass, so subscribers will be able to try Firefight without buying anything.

25 Original Xbox Games Now Playable on PC

Xbox Backward Compatibility on PC launched earlier this year with four original Xbox games. As of November 12, 21 more are available in supported countries, bringing the library to 25, one for each year of Xbox. Microsoft also says it has improved performance and stability for the original four, and every game in the program now supports mouse and keyboard. The full details are in the Xbox Wire backward compatibility post.

The 21 new additions are:

• Armed and Dangerous
• Disney's Chicken Little
• The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (also available with Xbox Game Pass)
• Grabbed by the Ghoulies (also available with Xbox Game Pass)
• Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb
• Red Faction II
• Secret Weapons Over Normandy
• Star Wars Battlefront
• Star Wars Battlefront II
• Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
• Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
• Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
• Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter
• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords
• Star Wars: Republic Commando
• Star Wars: Starfighter – Special Edition
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars
• Thrillville
• TimeSplitters 2
• TimeSplitters: Future Perfect

They join the four games that were already available: BLiNX: The Time Sweeper, Conker: Live and Reloaded, Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge and Fuzion Frenzy, all of which are also on Game Pass.

The list is heavy on LucasArts-era Star Wars, with eleven of the 21 new entries set in that galaxy. Several of these, including both KOTOR games, Jedi Academy and Republic Commando, already exist as separate PC releases, so the practical benefit is for players who own the Xbox versions digitally and want to keep playing them on Windows, or who prefer the console builds. The bigger wins are the games that were never released on PC at all, such as TimeSplitters 2, Grabbed by the Ghoulies and Conker: Live and Reloaded.

Requirements and limits

Microsoft's fine print sets clear limits:

• Windows 11 is required.
• A download is required; these are not streaming versions.
• Availability is limited to select markets.
• A game purchase or Game Pass subscription may be required, depending on the title.
• Specific features vary by game. The compatibility page at xbox.com/game-compatibility lists the details.

The program also runs on Windows handhelds such as the ROG Xbox Ally family, which makes the new mouse-and-keyboard support and the earlier controller support useful on very different hardware.

Microsoft says it will bring more original Xbox games to PC in the future, but no next wave has been named.

Achievements Arrive for Original Xbox Games

One of the community's longest-running requests is finally partly answered. For the first time, original Xbox games can award achievements. Four titles have them now:

• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords
• BLiNX: The Time Sweeper
• Conker: Live and Reloaded

The achievements are not limited to PC. They also work when these games are played through backward compatibility on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, as long as the console has the latest system update installed. Microsoft notes that in some cases achievements may unlock based on progress already made, so returning players with old saves could see a few pop immediately.

Microsoft says each list was designed with the original developers and publishers to fit the spirit of each game, and more original Xbox titles will get achievements over time. For Gamerscore hunters, the two KOTOR games are the obvious priority: both are long RPGs with branching paths, which usually translates into a list that rewards multiple playthroughs.

Xbox Playback: Your Personal Xbox History

Xbox Playback is a personalized recap of your history across every Xbox generation, similar in spirit to the year-end summaries music services produce. According to the Xbox Playback announcement, each recap includes your first Xbox game, total time played, most-played game, top years, longest streak and more.

How to see it:

• On console: look for the Playback option on the dashboard.
• On the web: sign in with your Xbox account on the Playback page to watch a personalized video.
• Playback Archive: the web version includes a deeper archive of early milestones and biggest achievements.
• Sharing: scan the QR code at the end of the console video, or select share on the web, to get a shareable Playback card. The suggested tag is #XBOXPlayback.

The rollout is gradual, so it may not appear for every account right away. Playback is available until December 31, 2026 in 15 countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Mexico, Poland, South Africa, Spain, the UK and the US.

There are minimum requirements. An account needs at least 1 Gamerscore, 1 achievement and 1 minute of qualifying gameplay linked to the profile, and the console version requires at least one minute of qualifying gameplay on console. Microsoft also cautions that Playback is based on available data, so older history may be incomplete or delayed. Players who started on the original Xbox before Xbox Live tracked anything should expect gaps in the earliest years.

Free 25th Anniversary In-Game Items

Several of Microsoft's biggest current games are handing out anniversary cosmetics. Most are free, but each one is claimed differently, and a couple have deadlines.

A few notes on the details:

• Forza Horizon 6: the livery is designed for the game's cover car, the 2025 GR GT, and calls back to the original console's colors and materials.
• Halo: the Damascus Prototype style is available to all Halo: Campaign Evolved players, not just Premium Edition owners.
• Gears of War: E-Day: the window to grab the skin set for nothing ends when the shop rotates on November 17. After that it remains obtainable, but only with the free-to-earn Coins currency or premium currency, so claiming it now saves a grind.
• Minecraft: the OG Green item is a full base skin with a translucent green glow that other items can be layered over. It requires Bedrock Edition and must be redeemed by December 10 at 10 AM PT.
• Call of Duty: the green Inner Circuit treatment is tied to a digital pre-order on Xbox Series X|S. Players who did not pre-order that way should not expect the anniversary visual.

DOOM: The Dark Ages Gets Slaughter Mode on November 16

Slaughter Mode arrives in DOOM: The Dark Ages on Monday, November 16. It is a replayable mode built around escalating rounds of randomized enemies, bosses and arenas, with rewards that stack and grow the longer a run lasts.

It is included at no additional cost for anyone who owns the Revelations DLC, the Premium Edition, or the Premium Upgrade of DOOM: The Dark Ages. Players with only the standard game will need one of those to access it. For fans of horde and survival modes, Slaughter Mode and Halo's Firefight make for a busy winter of wave-based content across Microsoft's two flagship shooters.

Candy Crush Saga's Xbox Crossover

King, Microsoft's mobile studio, is marking the anniversary in Candy Crush Saga with the Game On! Season, live now on iOS and Android and running through December 6, 2026. According to the Candy Crush announcement, it includes:

• An Xbox 25 pin collection earned through level progression, featuring Halo, Fallout, Sea of Thieves, Forza, DOOM, Banjo-Kazooie, Crash Bandicoot and Spyro. Look for Master Chief's helmet, DOOM's Cacodemon and Dr. Neo Cortex, plus Candy Crush characters in costume, such as Tiffi in pink Mjolnir armor.
• Six reworked themes from Halo, Fallout, Sea of Thieves, Forza, DOOM and Banjo-Kazooie, recorded with an orchestra, the Bulgarian Voices Berlin choir and an accordion. The tracks will also be released on streaming platforms.
• An arcade-themed Leagues event for competitive players.
• A US-only contest for VIP players at candycrush.com, with 1,000 limited-edition physical pin packs as prizes.

Console Features for Xbox Insiders

Not every announcement was a game. Microsoft is testing three dashboard changes with Xbox Insiders, starting with Alpha Skip-Ahead members, according to the Insider update post:

• Rotating Home backgrounds: save favorite dynamic backgrounds by pressing X under Settings > General > Personalization > My background > Dynamic backgrounds, then shuffle them on every sign-in or hourly, daily or weekly. Saving a controller-exclusive background as a favorite, such as the one tied to the Xbox Wireless Controller X25 Special Edition, keeps it available even when that controller is not connected.
• Digital licenses for disc games: players who have claimed digital licenses for disc-based games can now see those titles in a separate library category, or switch back and hide the license icon under Settings > General > Personalization > Games & apps.
• Guide on either side: the Guide can now open on the left or right side of the screen, set under Settings > General > Personalization > Guide.

These will reach more Insiders and eventually all players over time. No date has been given for a general release.

Fable's New Quest Gameplay

Playground Games showed new Fable quest gameplay during the celebration, featuring magic-heavy combat against cursed creatures and new hints about the story. FanFest attendees went hands-on the same night, and the Official Xbox Podcast followed up on November 13 with a deeper look at the footage alongside the developers. Fable is scheduled to launch on February 23, 2027, which makes it the next major first-party release on Microsoft's calendar.

Game Pass on November 15: Eight Classics Join Essential

The anniversary day itself brings eight older games to Game Pass Essential, the entry tier, as listed in the November Game Pass announcement:

• Banjo-Kazooie (cloud and console)
• Banjo-Tooie (cloud and console)
• Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (cloud and console)
• Gears of War: Judgment (cloud and console)
• Halo: Spartan Assault (cloud, console and PC)
• Perfect Dark (cloud and console)
• Viva Piñata (cloud and console)
• Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise (cloud and console)

The list leans heavily on Rare, which fits a celebration of the original console era. Halo: Spartan Assault is the only one of the eight listed for PC.

The same date also brings departures. Thirteen games leave Game Pass on November 15: 1000xResist, Barbie Horse Trails, Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, Firefighting Simulator – The Squad, GoldenEye 007, Great God Grove, Moonlighter, Pigeon Simulator, Police Simulator: Patrol Officers, Relic Hunters Legend, Total Chaos, Winter Burrow and Wreckfest. There is some irony in GoldenEye 007 leaving on the same day its spiritual successor, Perfect Dark, joins the Essential tier. Anyone partway through one of the departing games has until Sunday to finish it or buy it.

Key Dates at a Glance

What the Anniversary Says About Xbox's Direction

Taken together, the announcements show where Microsoft is putting its weight in 2026. The new content is concentrated in a few places: wave-based cooperative modes for Halo and DOOM, a long-awaited sequel from MachineGames, and a big first-party RPG next February. The rest of the celebration is about preservation and history, from PC access to original Xbox games, achievements for titles that never had them, and a recap of every player's own time on the platform.

In an internal message shared on Xbox Wire, Asha Sharma looked back at 25 years of Xbox, noting that Microsoft has built four generations of consoles "with a fifth on the way" and that its games reach more than a billion players a year. She also argued that the cost and risk of making modern games have grown so much that too many ideas never get made, and that new tools should let small teams build far bigger worlds. No new hardware was shown at FanFest, but the reminder that a fifth console generation is coming is a useful marker for anyone deciding whether to upgrade now.

For players, the practical takeaway is simpler. Claim the free cosmetics before their deadlines, especially the Gears skin set before November 17, check Playback while it lasts, and, if you have Windows 11 and an old Xbox library, look at the newly playable original Xbox games, particularly the KOTOR pair now that achievements are attached.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Xbox 25th anniversary?

The original Xbox launched in North America on November 15, 2001, so the 25th anniversary falls on Sunday, November 15, 2026. Microsoft held its main announcements early, on November 12, at the final FanFest stop in Seattle.

Has Wolfenstein 3 been officially announced?

Yes. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma confirmed that Wolfenstein 3 is in production at MachineGames, with Brian Bloom returning as BJ Blazkowicz and Debra Wilson returning as Grace Walker. There is no release date, platform list or trailer yet.

When is Firefight coming to Halo: Campaign Evolved, and does it cost money?

Firefight is part of a free Winter Update for Halo: Campaign Evolved. No exact date has been announced. More details are expected at Halo Fest in Seattle on December 12 and 13, where attendees can play the mode.

Which original Xbox games can I play on PC?

There are now 25, including Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and its sequel, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, TimeSplitters 2 and Future Perfect, Star Wars Battlefront I and II, Republic Commando, Jedi Academy, Jedi Outcast, Red Faction II, Armed and Dangerous, Conker: Live and Reloaded, Crimson Skies and others. The full list is in the section above. You need Windows 11, the game must be downloaded, and availability depends on your country.

Do original Xbox games really have achievements now?

Four of them do: Knights of the Old Republic, Knights of the Old Republic II, BLiNX: The Time Sweeper and Conker: Live and Reloaded. The achievements work on PC and when the games are played through backward compatibility on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S after the latest system update. Some may unlock automatically based on existing progress.

How do I see my Xbox Playback?

Look for the Playback option on your console dashboard, or sign in with your Xbox account on the Playback web page. It is available until December 31, 2026 in 15 countries, including the US, Canada and the UK, and requires at least one achievement, one Gamerscore and one minute of qualifying gameplay. It rolls out gradually, so it may take a while to appear.

What is the Halo: Campaign Evolved code for the Damascus Prototype armor?

Xbox published the code GWT9-DNBT-7X9S-DJCX-8KH3, which is redeemed through Halo Waypoint. The armor style is available to all Halo: Campaign Evolved players.

Which games join Game Pass Essential on November 15?

Banjo-Kazooie, Banjo-Tooie, Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, Gears of War: Judgment, Halo: Spartan Assault, Perfect Dark, Viva Piñata and Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise. Halo: Spartan Assault is the only one listed for PC as well as console and cloud.

Is GoldenEye 007 leaving Game Pass?

Yes. GoldenEye 007 is one of 13 games scheduled to leave Game Pass on November 15, along with Wreckfest, Moonlighter, Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 and others.

Did Xbox announce new hardware for the anniversary?

No new console was shown. Asha Sharma's anniversary message to employees said Xbox has built four generations of consoles with a fifth on the way, but no details, name or date were shared.