Microsoft has added 50+ Activision retro games to Game Pass. What’s interesting about the list?

Microsoft has opened access to the «Retro Classics» collection in Game Pass — more than 50 old games, including Pitfall, Grand Prix, Atlantis, and MechWarrior 2.

This collection was built together with Antstream — the same service that has more than 1300 retro games. But Game Pass now has a somewhat more modest selection, which at launch includes 55 games from the 1980s and 1990s from Activision. Microsoft says this is just the beginning, as it plans to add more than 100 games from Activision and Blizzard in the future.

The company itself calls Retro Classics as part of its «commitment to game preservation and backwards compatibility». Players will be able to collect achievements, as well as participate in tournaments and community events. That is, it is not just a launch through an emulator, but a full integration into the modern ecosystem.

The games look like they come from different platforms — among the screenshots, you can see projects from the original PlayStation, SNES, and MS-DOS. You cannot buy these games separately — it works only through a Game Pass subscription. If we compare, this is the same approach as in Nintendo with its Switch Online.

Here is the full list of games:

They can now be played on Xbox, PC, or via the cloud — for example, on compatible LG and Samsung TVs or even on Meta Quest. You don’t have to pay extra if you already have a Game Pass subscription. At the same time, Antstream launched action: until June 4, Game Pass subscribers can purchase annual access to the entire Antstream catalog — more than 1300 games — for $9.99 through the Microsoft Store.

Source: The Verge