Microsoft is bringing almost 1300 retro games to Xbox. Through a new relationship with Antstream Arcade, a retro cloud gaming platform, Microsoft has brought over 1,300 old-school video games to Xbox. Beginning today, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S owners can buy or subscribe to a variety of games that were previously unavailable.
Microsoft is bringing almost 1300 retro games to Xbox
The greatest Xbox content drop in history includes arcade games and titles from a variety of earlier consoles, including the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo, as well as the Commodore 64 and several Atari incarnations. Those who pay $30 per month or $80 for a lifetime subscription can play retro games like Joust (I and II), Dig Dug, Star Raiders, Jumpman, and Missile Command. (There are also numerous pinball games.)
For good reason, gamers have been increasingly concerned about traditional game accessibility. While the vast majority of retro games are preserved in some fashion (usually by libraries), the vast majority remain inaccessible to those who wish to play them.
According to a recent survey, only 13% of vintage games are playable, with the rest held hostage by copyright law. Those who wish to play the remaining 87% must resort to piracy, hope to strike gold at a garage sale, or travel to a distant library that may have one to play on the premises, none of which are particularly appealing.
Antstream Arcade is one solution to the endangerment of old games. For the last decade, the company has worked to provide titles from the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s—yes, the latter is considered retro—in an accessible online setting.
You may download the Antstream Arcade app and gain quick access to 1,900 games and minigame challenges if you own a PC, Mac, Android tablet, or smartphone. It’s perfectly legal because Antstream has all of the necessary licences.
“Many of us grew up playing these games, so the ability to stream them on Xbox consoles and share these experiences with our friends and family is incredible,” said Sarah Bond, Microsoft’s corporate vice president of gaming experience, in a LinkedIn post.
While Antstream Arcade is normally free, the subscription and purchase charges on Xbox compensate for the cost of removing the platform’s typical advertisements. Xbox players can gain achievements, compete in tournaments, compete online with friends, and save their progress to the cloud to return to later.
Also Read: Why the Super Pocket Could Be the Ideal Retro Game Console
