Xbox One Update Expands Xbox 360 Game Support: Play 'Halo: Reach,' 'Fable III' And 'Portal: Still Alive' Now

Microsoft has unleashed an Xbox One update that provides support for some of the biggest Xbox 360 blockbuster games. Starting Thursday, 16 new games will be fully playable on Xbox One, joining the 104 titles compatible at the feature's initial launch in November.

The update brings 2010's "Halo: Reach" to the Xbox One, Bungie's final "Halo" game before the series development was transferred to 343 Industries. Taking place before the events of the original "Halo," the game follows a team of soldiers as a human colony is invaded by alien Covenant forces. "Halo: Reach" joins "Halo: The Master Chief Collection," "Halo 5: Guardians" and "Halo: Spartan Assault" to provide the most complete "Halo" experience on Xbox One to date.

"Fable III," "Deus Ex: Human Revolution" and "Kane and Lynch 2" have also been added to the list. All four are available via the Games On Demand system, but customers who already own a copy can play directly from the disc.

On the Xbox Live Arcade side, the excellent "Portal: Still Alive" is now playable on Xbox One. With a score of 90 on Metacritic and the recipient of numerous accolades, "Portal: Still Alive" is an essential addition to any Xbox One game library.

The game takes "Portal," originally included with Valve's 2007 release "The Orange Box," and adds 14 new challenges. Gameplay is the same as the original: Puzzles are completed using a gun that can create portals, which are used to build momentum, move objects or even redirect enemy bullets.

It's not just "Portal" that's gaining support. "Braid," "Doritos Crash Course," "Hydro Thunder," "Iron Bridge," "Motocross Madness," "Ms. Pac Man," "Peggle," "Spelunky," "Splosion Man," "Ticket to Ride" and "Zuma's Revenge!" have also made their way over to Xbox One.

The feature launched with the Windows 10 update on Nov. 12. The update also made improvements to the general speed of the console, thanks to a new "One Core" operating system that moved everyday tasks to more easily accessible locations. At the update's launch, Microsoft promised more Xbox 360 titles were coming, and Thursday's news suggests it intends to make good on that promise.

"And this is just the beginning," said Larry Hyrb, director of programming for Xbox Live. "We’re continuing to work with our publishing partners to grow our library of Xbox One Backward Compatibility titles, so stay tuned for more."