Technology
10 min read
50 'Disc Only' Backwards Compatible Xbox Games You Need in 2026
Pure Xbox
January 18, 2026•4 days ago

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Fifty backwards compatible Xbox games are now "disc only" due to digital delisting and licensing issues. Players need a physical disc or prior digital ownership to play these titles on modern consoles. Notable games include Forza Horizon 1, Left 4 Dead 1 & 2, and several Battlefield titles.
There are hundreds and hundreds of backwards compatible games from the original Xbox and Xbox 360 eras that we can enjoy on our modern consoles, and it's ultimately one of the best initiatives Xbox has ever put together for us.
That said, there are obviously some games that aren't part of the program — usually for licensing reasons above all else — as well as some games that have been delisted digitally, and therefore are now categorised as "disc only" games.
In other words, unless you own the digital versions of these games already, you'll need to have a disc copy in order to play them on your Xbox One or Xbox Series X. Otherwise, you'll need the original hardware!
So, with this in mind, we've had a browse through what we think is the most comprehensive list of backwards compatible Xbox games (for modern consoles) on the web, which can be found over on Wikipedia.
They've got a whole bunch of games that are now classed as "Disc Only" on there, so we've picked out 50 of the most notable examples. You will find a few more if you go looking for them, but most of the rest have since been re-released in some form on Xbox One and/or Series X|S (such as Halo 3), whereas the majority of the ones below have not.
Here are 50 digitally delisted, backwards compatible Xbox games that are "Disc Only" in 2026:
50 Cent: Blood on the Sand
Armed and Dangerous
Batman: Arkham Origins
Battlefield 2: Modern Combat
Battlefield: Bad Company
Battlefield: Bad Company 2
Battlefield 3
Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII
Child of Eden
Condemned: Criminal Origins
Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut
Dirt 3
Dirt: Showdown
Driver: San Francisco
Enchanted Arms
F.E.A.R.
F.E.A.R. Files
Forza Horizon
Fuel
Grid 2
Grid Autosport
Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb
Jurassic Park: The Game
Left 4 Dead
Left 4 Dead 2
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising
Operation Flashpoint: Red River
The Orange Box
Overlord
Overlord II
Persona 4 Arena
Peter Jackson's King Kong
Prince of Persia
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Pure
Raiden IV
Rio
R.U.S.E.
Silent Hill: Downpour
Skate 2
Spec Ops: The Line
Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy
Syndicate
Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow
Ultra Street Fighter IV
Unreal Championship 2: The Liandri Conflict
As you can see, there are some major, major games in here including multiple Battlefield titles, Forza Horizon 1, two Left 4 Dead games, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell, The Orange Box, Batman: Arkham Origins and so much more.
In theory, they should all work if you have the disc for them, and they should also still appear in your Xbox library if you ever owned them digitally. Unfortunately, if you're a Series S owner and don't have a digital license, you're out of luck.
Let us know if there are any other "Disc Only" backwards compatible Xbox games you want to bring to our attention down below, as well as which of these games you'd love to see return in digital form in the future. You never know, it could happen!
Any favourites in the list? Tell us in the comments section.
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