Xbox FanFest
Xbox FanFest Tour Continues Amid Layoffs as Classic Games Eye PC Move
Microsoft pushes forward with global Xbox FanFest dates after firing its creator, while a leaked plan reveals Xbox 360 games could hit PC by 2028.
What is Xbox FanFest and why is it continuing after Microsoft's layoffs?
Xbox FanFest is a global, multi-city event series Microsoft describes as "fan-first events built around connection, local community, and the games we love," celebrating Xbox's 25-year history. Tickets are available only through city-specific sweepstakes listed on the Xbox FanFest website. Chris Munson, who pitched and created the FanFest show, was let go in recent Xbox layoffs that affected 1,600 people, with a further 1,600 earmarked for cuts over the next year. "After 15½ years, I was affected by the layoffs at Xbox today," Munson wrote on LinkedIn, calling it an "end of an era." Microsoft has not addressed his departure. The company announced the remaining tour dates in an Xbox Wire blog post, promising celebrations of "the games, players, and moments that have shaped Xbox over the past 25 years," without specifying what activities will take place at any of the stops.
When and where are the Xbox FanFest events scheduled?
The Xbox FanFest Tour spans seven cities across four continents. Dates announced in an Xbox Wire blog post: Cologne, Germany, August 26 during Gamescom; Tokyo, Japan, September 17 around the Tokyo Game Show; London, U.K., September 26; Mexico City, Mexico, and Sydney, Australia, both October 17; Toronto, Canada, November 6; and Seattle, U.S., where Microsoft says more information is coming. These follow an initial event in Los Angeles alongside the Xbox Games Showcase. The company frames the tour as built around connection and local communities, though the scale of each stop may differ. Gamescom and the Tokyo Game Show are major industry trade shows where Microsoft already has a substantial presence, making those two the most likely to feature significant activations. For London, Mexico City, Sydney, and Toronto, no format or activity has been described. The Seattle date has not been set; fans there should watch Xbox Wire for the announcement.
How can I get tickets to Xbox FanFest events?
No sweepstakes are currently open on the Xbox FanFest website for any of the announced tour dates. Microsoft has not published entry criteria or described how winners are selected, leaving fans with one option: check the Xbox FanFest website regularly and enter when their city's sweepstakes opens. There is no paid ticket path and no general admission — the sweepstakes model means not every entrant will secure a spot. At the Los Angeles event that launched the tour, attendees received perks including an Xbox Series X console in a limited original Xbox green colorway announced during Summer Game Fest. Whether similar giveaways will feature at other stops is unconfirmed, as is what specific activities each city's event will include beyond the broad promise of celebrating Xbox's 25-year history.
What happened at the Los Angeles Xbox FanFest event?
The Los Angeles Xbox FanFest event launched the tour alongside the Xbox Games Showcase during Summer Game Fest. It was held as a separate gathering from the Xbox area where the company showed upcoming games, meaning no playable demos of future titles were part of the experience. Reports from attendees describe Xbox leaders Asha Sharma and Matt Booty being present at the event. Everyone who attended received an Xbox Series X console in a limited original Xbox green colorway — the new special edition announced during SGF. No upcoming games were playable; the console giveaway was the main perk for attendees. Sharma and Booty's appearance is notable given the layoffs that have since hit the Xbox division; it is unclear whether they will appear at future tour stops. The LA event had no game demos — the format centred on fan connection, with perks for those who secured spots through the city-specific sweepstakes.
What is Microsoft's plan for bringing Xbox 360 games to PC?
According to a leaked document seen by The Verge and sent to developers, Microsoft plans to let developers opt into porting their Xbox 360 games to PC. The opt-in structure means Microsoft is not porting games unilaterally — each developer decides whether their Xbox 360 catalogue makes the jump. The ports would use the official Xbox 360 emulator Microsoft recently shipped, handling the technical translation so studios do not need to rebuild their games from scratch. Developers would set the price for their ported games and decide whether those titles appear on Xbox Game Pass or remain a standalone purchase. The goal is to build a large library of classic games playable on Xbox PCs, handhelds, and the upcoming Project Helix console, which the document describes as more PC-like than current hardware.
When will Xbox 360 games be available on PC?
The rollout of Xbox 360 games on PC will not arrive all at once. A leaked Microsoft document seen by The Verge places the window between 2027 and 2028, with availability building gradually over that period rather than as a single launch. The gradual approach ties to the opt-in model: the library's growth depends on how many studios participate and when they are ready. During that two-year window, players may see waves of titles appear — some studios could move quickly while others take longer or choose not to participate at all. The document does not name specific games or studios expected in the initial wave, so there is no way to predict which Xbox 360 titles will land on PC first. Players eager to revisit a specific game will need to wait for its developer to bring it across — there is no indication that a bulk library transfer is planned.
How have Xbox console prices changed in Europe?
In Europe, Xbox console prices have increased sharply. The Xbox Series S now costs £430, and the Xbox Series X is priced at £670. The Xbox Series S — originally the budget entry in Microsoft's console lineup — now carries almost the exact price the Xbox Series X launched at when this generation began. These European prices were revealed this past weekend. The narrow gap between the two models may push buyers toward the more powerful Series X, since the savings from choosing the Series S are no longer as significant. At £670, the Xbox Series X sits at a premium, and the Series S at £430 no longer serves as the affordable on-ramp it once was. No equivalent price increase for other regions has been announced.
Source material: eurogamer.net — this piece is based on that published source material.
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