Microsoft announced on Thursday 17 August 2023 that it would close the curtain on Xbox 360 Marketplace and Xbox 360 Store after 29 July 2024. The announcement will see the 18-year run of the Xbox 360 Store come to an end—but not most of the titles it holds.
“It was a generation-defining console that invited many to jump into gaming for the first time and connect with friends around the world,” wrote Dave MacCarthy, CVP of Xbox Player Services, in a blog post.
The major anxiety that most gamers had when the news broke was that they will lose access to the large digital Xbox 360 games library they have worked hard—and spent harder—to build over the years. Although that threat is ever present, the blog post offered some explanation.
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According to the blog post, gamers who have already purchased any product will still have access to them for the foreseeable future.
“This change will not affect your ability to play Xbox 360 games or DLC you have already purchased,” wrote MacCarthy.
In a similar manner, the Movie and TV apps will be pulled down from the Xbox 360. Just like in the case of games, users of the Movie and TV app will still have access to any movie and shows they have downloaded on the Xbox website or Movies Anywhere app.
Some media outlets reached out to Microsoft through email for further explanation of the upcoming changes. However, their requests were declined. Instead, they were referred to the company’s FAQ page that offered more explanation about the Xbox 360 Store and Xbox 360 Marketplace update.
How can players access their games when Xbox 360 Store shuts down?
According to MacCarthy, gamers who have purchased any game or DLC will be able to play those games “not only [on] the Xbox 360 console but also [on] Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S devices via backward compatibility”.
Interestingly, those that have deleted any game they purchased but want to play the game again will have the opportunity to re-download the games. The shutdown will not affect multiplayer games too. Users of the consoles can still jump in and “connect with friends through multiplayer on the games [they have] purchased, as long as the publisher still supports the online servers”.
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In addition to that, players will still be able to save their games and progress to the cloud. Players that wish to change their playing platform to Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One will be able to transfer their cloud saves to the new platforms. MacCarthy offered some explanation on why the company was taking the bold step.
“A lot has changed since the Xbox 360 launched in 2005. Technology has evolved, expectations from players have shifted, and we are focused on making Xbox Series X|S the best place to play now and in the future.”
Dave MacCarthy, CVP of Xbox Player Services
Is this the end of purchasing Xbox 360 games?
While the Xbox 360 Store’s shutdown will lead to significant changes in how users interact with the platform, MacCarthy mentioned that players will still be able to “purchase hundreds of great backward-compatible Xbox 360 and Original Xbox games and DLC on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox.com.
Microsoft’s backward-compatibility program has been dedicated to the preservation of video game history. The program which was launched in 2015 has made it possible for gamers to experience games spanning over Xbox’s 20-year history.
On 15 November 2021, over 70 original Xbox and Xbox 360 games were added to the backward compatibility catalog to celebrate Xbox’s 20th anniversary. Some of the games added at that time were F.E.A.R, Max Payne, Skate, Skate 2, Dead or Alive Ultimate, Star Wars: Jedi Knight II, Otogi, and Star Wars: Starfighter. The full list of Xbox One Backward Compatible titles is here.
To make playing the backward-compatible games more fun, MacCarthy mentioned that the titles have been enhanced to “look and play better than ever before while staying true to the original version”. Backward Xbox 360 games can be played on Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S with Auto HDR, FPS Boost, and faster loading times.
Some Xbox 360 games will disappear forever
Video Game Chronicles reported that around 220 titles will be lost forever once the Xbox 360 Store shuts down on 29 July 2024. According to VGC, out of the 619 titles listed in the North America Arcade section, only a few are backward compatible while others are already delisted—although still visible on the store.
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The games at the risk of being lost forever are those games that are not backward compatible and which also don’t have a physical release. For most other titles, shutting down the Xbox 360 Store will only change how players can access the games rather than meaning their abrupt death.
Nevertheless, the Xbox backward compatibility program is an ongoing program, and games that are not available at this time may in the future become available.
Do you think shutting the Xbox 360 Store was long overdue or do you think the move is insensitive? Please share your thoughts in the comment box below.
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