It’s hard to believe, but the original Xbox launched 25 years ago in November 2001. And many of Xbox’s biggest brands arrived on that very first console, setting the foundation for beloved franchises that built the Xbox name. It reigned for just 4 years before its successor, the Xbox 360, arrived on the scene. Yet the original Xbox console enjoyed over 100 exclusives before the next gen arrived.
These days, many classic games are making surprise comebacks thanks to remakes and remasters. And thanks to Xbox Game Pass, a good number of classic Xbox games are available to play on modern consoles. But that doesn’t mean some of the best classic Xbox exclusives don’t deserve a more robust comeback in the form of new remakes or remasters after over 20 years. Here are 5 original Xbox classics that are due to a modern resurgence, and why.
Courtesy of Bethesda
True, as a franchise, The Elder Scrolls has hardly fallen out of popular consciousness. And yet, Skyrim tends to get all the hype. And many new gamers experienced Oblivion for the first time with last year’s remaster. Yet Morrowind deserves a bit of credit for laying the foundation that brought us to Skyrim. When it released in 2002, Morrowind was an Xbox console exclusive. It was also the first time Bethesda brought its formerly PC-only Elder Scrolls series to consoles.
Given that Bethesda and Virtuous have already remastered one earlier Elder Scrolls title, it’s high time we saw a resurgence for Morrowind. After all, the Xbox classic was the console’s best-selling RPG in its release year and remained among the top 10 even a full year later. But while you can revisit the original on modern consoles thanks to Xbox Game Pass, this game deserves more. It deserves a true comeback in the form of a remake or remaster, or at the very least a wider re-release that lets more gamers experience this iconic Elder Scrolls entry for the first time.
4) Halo: Combat Evolved
Courtesy of Bungie and Microsoft Game Studios
For many Xbox fans, Halo is the uncontested winner for most recognizable Xbox franchise. In fact, its list of accolades is almost too long to name, and its legacy lives on. Though Halo 2 is a core memory of early online shooter gameplay, this franchise got its start with the 2001 release of Halo: Combat Evolved. This franchise has had more recent entries than many games on this list, with Halo Infinite back in 2021. However, a return to form is much needed, and we’re about to have a chance to see a true Halo renaissance later this year.
As you likely know, Halo: Combat Evolved is about to get a full remake in the form of Halo: Campaign Evolved. If Halo Studios manages to stick the landing with this one, it could bring Halo back to front of mind in a big way. The remake will almost certainly introduce a new generation of gamers to the original Halo campaign, not to mention bringing the series to the PlayStation for the very first time. If this does mark a return to the old hype for Halo, it will be well deserved. But of course, we’re still waiting on an official release date for Halo: Campaign Evolved, so it’s hard to say when we might get a shot at the Halo resurgence OG Xbox fans deserve.
3) Project Gotham Racing
Courtesy of Bizarre Creations and Microsoft Game Studios
This arcade racing game sequel released exclusively for the original Xbox back in 2001, making it one of the earliest games on the platform. Its sequel, Project Gotham Racing 2, followed as a second Xbox exclusive in 2003. Both games sold incredibly well and were beloved by racing game fans. But sadly, this franchise hasn’t released a new game since the Xbox 360 era’s Project Gotham Racing 4. And for arcade racing fans, it’s high time that changed.
Though Project Gotham Racing was the tentpole racing franchise for the original Xbox and Xbox 360, the studio behind it shut down in 2011. Since then, the Forza Horizon series has become the racing game mainstay for Xbox. And despite the love for Forza Horizon, many fans want to see a return to the iconic arcade racing game that got Xbox gamers started. As of now, however, no such plans are in the works.
2) Jade Empire
Image via Microsoft
This 2005 action RPG comes from BioWare, who would go on to achieve Mass Effect and Dragon Age fame. But first, there was Jade Empire, a solid Chinese mythology-inspired RPG that released as an Xbox exclusive. Perhaps in part due to the popularity of BioWare’s later titles, Jade Empire never got a sequel. But the martial arts RPG brought a different flavor to the genre following BioWare’s Dungeons & Dragons, and that has earned it a space on the list of early games that are still remembered fondly today.
Though not one of the original Xbox’s best-selling games, Jade Empire nevertheless performed reasonably well. Its release window for the original Xbox fell just before the release of the Xbox 360, which may be partly why the game didn’t quite take off as well as some earlier Xbox classics. Even so, it’s long past time for a return to the world of Jade Empire. With its engaging yet simple martial arts combat system and accessible RPG mechanics, Jade Empire is a beloved favorite from the original Xbox. And with martial arts games ticking up in popularity again in 2026, now feels like the perfect time for a Jade Empire comeback.
1) Fable
Courtesy of Microsoft Game Studios
If any one Xbox series, aside from Halo, deserves a comeback, it’s got to be Fable. And with any luck, the RPG franchise is about to get one. The new, reimagined Fable game is set to release in 2026. It is being billed as a reboot for the franchise and, unlike its predecessor, it won’t be an Xbox console exclusive. But until we have that new game in our hands, it’s hard to say whether it will really be the comeback the Fable series deserves.
The original Fable released in 2004 as an Xbox console exclusive. The game introduced fans to the world of Albion for the first time, spawning two major sequels before the franchise largely went dormant for over 10 years. Back in 2014, Fable Anniversary gave the game a high-definition remaster for Xbox 360, but this, too, is showing its age. Hopefully, the long-awaited reboot will be the comeback this game deserves, paying a fitting tribute to the original. But if not, fans will no doubt still be hoping for a full-on remake of the original Fable.
Which Xbox games do you most want to see get the modern comeback they deserve? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
