The XBOX 25th anniversary celebration brought more than a nostalgic look back. Microsoft confirmed Wolfenstein 3 is in production, announced a free Firefight update for Halo: Campaign Evolved, showed new Fable gameplay, and expanded its original XBOX games library on PC to 25 titles.
In its November 12 XBOX Wire roundup, Team XBOX shared the announcements as its eight-city FanFest tour wrapped up in Seattle. Between new games, anniversary freebies, and console customization updates, there’s plenty to catch up on—even if you couldn’t make it to the celebration.
The announcements follow XBOX’s anniversary message confirming a fifth console generation is on the way. That message didn’t reveal hardware specifications, pricing, or a release date, but it made clear that consoles remain part of the company’s future.
Wolfenstein 3 is officially in production
One of the biggest announcements is also one of the simplest: MachineGames is working on Wolfenstein 3.
XBOX CEO Asha Sharma confirmed the project, while MachineGames revealed that Brian Bloom and Debra Wilson will return as BJ Blazkowicz and Grace Walker. The anniversary roundup doesn’t include a release date, platform list, or gameplay reveal, so this is a development confirmation rather than a launch announcement.
It also gives Wolfenstein fans another project to follow alongside the Amazon Wolfenstein TV series we previously covered. The television adaptation and MachineGames’ next game are separate projects, but both put the franchise back in the spotlight.
Halo: Campaign Evolved gets free Firefight this winter
Halo: Campaign Evolved is adding Firefight through a free Winter Update, bringing four-player cooperative survival to the game.
The mode challenges players to hold out against waves of enemies. FanFest attendees were given the first opportunity to try it on November 12, with new maps and plenty of weapons available to help teams survive.
Microsoft plans to share more at Halo Fest, taking place December 12–13 in Seattle. Attendees will also be able to play Firefight throughout that weekend. There’s no exact release date for the update yet beyond the winter window.
New Fable gameplay shows more magical combat
Playground Games brought new Fable quest gameplay to the anniversary celebration, showing magical combat against cursed creatures and offering more clues about the adventure’s story.
FanFest attendees also had an opportunity to go hands-on. Microsoft scheduled a deeper discussion with Playground Games for the November 13 episode of the Official XBOX Podcast.
The footage follows the extended look at Fable covered in our XBOX Developer_Direct 2026 recap, which also explored Playground Games’ work on Forza Horizon 6.
25 original XBOX games are now playable on PC
For anyone more interested in revisiting old favorites, XBOX Backward Compatibility on PC received a substantial expansion.
Microsoft added 21 original XBOX games, bringing the library to 25. The additions include Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, both original Star Wars Battlefront games, TimeSplitters 2, and TimeSplitters: Future Perfect. You can find the complete lineup in our coverage of the 25 original XBOX games now available on PC.
Achievements are also available for the first time in four original XBOX games:
- 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
Those achievements also work on XBOX One and XBOX Series consoles after installing the latest system update. On PC, the backward compatibility feature requires Windows 11, availability varies by market, and a game purchase or qualifying Game Pass subscription may be required.
This builds on the initial launch of XBOX Backward ompatibility on PC and handhelds, which started with four games earlier this year.
XBOX Playback turns your gaming history into a personal recap
XBOX Playback is Microsoft’s new way to look back at your own history with the platform.
The personalized experience can highlight your first XBOX game, total time played, most-played game, busiest years, and longest streak. You can watch through the console dashboard or sign in on the web, where a Playback Archive offers more account-history details.
Playback is available in 15 countries, including the United States, through December 31, 2026. Microsoft notes that it uses available account data, so some history may be incomplete or delayed. It also requires qualifying gameplay, at least one achievement, and at least one Gamerscore point.
Free anniversary items arrive across XBOX games
Microsoft is spreading the original XBOX green across several games, although the offers have different requirements and redemption windows.
Here’s what the anniversary roundup includes:
- Forza Horizon 6: A 25th anniversary livery for the 2025 GR GT cover car, available through the Gifts tab in the Message Center.
- Halo: Campaign Evolved: The Damascus Prototype Armor Style, redeemable through Halo Waypoint using code
GWT9-DNBT-7X9S-DJCX-8KH3. - Gears of War: E-Day: A free XBOX Anniversary Weapon Skin Set in the in-game shop. After the November 17 shop rotation, it moves to the player barracks, where it can be acquired with earned Coins or premium currency.
- Minecraft: A free OG Green Character Creator item for Bedrock Edition. The redemption window ends December 10, 2026, at 10 a.m. PT, with one item per person or account.
- Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024: Four anniversary liveries, automatically available to owners through the Aircraft Livery menu for the Boeing 737 MAX, XCub, Hot Air Balloon, and Skyship 600.
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4: A translucent OG Green treatment for the Inner Circuit M4 Blueprint for players who digitally preordered on XBOX Series X|S.
The important distinction: not every item is an unrestricted giveaway. Some require a specific game edition, preorder eligibility, or redemption before a deadline.
DOOM: The Dark Ages adds Slaughter Mode on November 16
DOOM: The Dark Ages is getting Slaughter Mode on November 16.
The mode features escalating rounds of randomized enemies, bosses, and arenas, with rewards that build as you continue playing. It’s available at no additional cost to owners of the Revelations DLC, Premium Edition, or Premium Upgrade—not automatically to everyone who owns the base game.
Microsoft also confirmed that id Software’s next project is in development, although the roundup doesn’t name it or provide a release window.
For a look back at the game’s original announcement details, see our XBOX Developer Direct 2025 recap covering DOOM: The Dark Ages.
Console customization and Candy Crush join the celebration
XBOX Insiders are getting more console personalization options, including rotating Home backgrounds and new ways to organize their game libraries.
These are Insider announcements, so they shouldn’t be confused with features already available to every console owner. They follow earlier preview additions covered in our report on selectable startup animations, 1440p Remote Play, and Voice Clarity.
Meanwhile, Candy Crush Saga is marking the anniversary with its Game On! season. The event introduces collectible in-game pins and musical takes on franchises including Halo, Fallout, and Spyro.
An anniversary with things to play—not just things to watch
The celebration mixes future projects with updates players can actually use now. Wolfenstein 3 gives fans something to anticipate, while the expanded PC classics library, Playback, and anniversary items give them reasons to jump in today.
Just keep the timelines straight: Halo Firefight arrives this winter, DOOM’s Slaughter Mode launches November 16, and several anniversary rewards have their own eligibility rules or deadlines. The nostalgia might be doing the heavy lifting, but there’s more here than another birthday logo.
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