10 Backwards Compatible Xbox Games That Are 'Disc Only' In 2026

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 9
  • 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
  • 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.