In a recent Xbox Wire blog, Microsoft announced that it will be shutting down the Xbox 360 Store on July 29, 2024. This also means that players will no longer be able to buy new games, DLC, and other media like movies and TV series. However, the closure only affects the Xbox 360 Marketplace via the site and the console. It will not affect the ability to purchase Xbox 360 games and DLC from the Xbox Series X/S or Xbox One. Additionally, after the store’s closure, players who own games and DLC on the Xbox 360 can still download, redownload, and play them at any time. Players will also still be able to play their owned games online and save their progress on the Xbox cloud. However, digital only titles that don’t support backwards compatibility will no longer be accessible. Several games were delisted from the Xbox 360 marketplace earlier this year.
The full details via the website:
As we head toward 2024, we have a change to share about the Xbox 360 experience:
On July 29, 2024, Xbox will stop supporting the ability to purchase new games, DLC, and other entertainment content from the Xbox 360 Store on the console and the Xbox 360 Marketplace (marketplace.xbox.com)
Related to this change, the Microsoft Movies & TV app will no longer function on Xbox 360, which means TV and movie content will no longer be viewable on your Xbox 360 after July 29th, 2024.
Between now and July 2024, you can continue purchasing games and DLC from the Xbox 360 Store and at the Xbox 360 Marketplace.
This change will not affect your ability to play Xbox 360 games or DLC you have already purchased. Xbox 360 game content previously purchased will still be available to play , not only the Xbox 360 console but also Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S devices via backward compatibility.
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.
What has not changed is our commitment to preserving your ability to play the content you have already purchased on your preferred device, which means we are committed to supporting Xbox 360 gameplay for the foreseeable future – and you will still be able to play and re-download previously purchased content and connect with friends.
We hope to get ahead of some of your questions below:
Can I still play my Xbox 360 games after July 2024?
Yes, you will still be able to play the games you purchased on Xbox 360. If you purchased the game digitally or have a physical disc, you can still jump in and play. If you’ve deleted a game that you have purchased, but you want to play again, you’ll still be able to re-download it.
What about multiplayer games via the Xbox network? Can I still play with my friends?
Yes. Even after July 2024, you will still be able to play games and connect with friends through multiplayer on the games you purchased, as long as the publisher still supports the online servers. You can still save your games and progress to the cloud, and if you choose to continue any of those available games on Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S, those cloud saves will transfer over.
Can I still buy and play Xbox 360 backward-compatible titles?
There is no impact to purchasing or playing backward-compatible Xbox 360 titles. After July 29, 2024, you 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. We believe in celebrating gaming’s rich history and have worked hard to preserve as many games as possible through our backward-compatibility program. You can find the full list of backward-compatible titles here.
For those who wish to continue playing Xbox 360 games on Xbox Series X|S, we’ve taken the time to enhance those titles so they look and play better than ever before, while staying true to the original version. You can play those Xbox 360 titles with FPS Boost, Auto HDR, and faster loading times.
How can I continue to stream and download Microsoft Movies & TV content I purchased on Xbox 360?
The Microsoft Movies & TV app is available on Windows devices running Windows 10 or later, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. Any content that you’ve purchased from the Xbox 360 Store will remain in your library and be available to view on such devices. In addition, all purchased Movies & TV content eligible for Movies Anywhere can always be streamed and downloaded on the Movies Anywhere app or site. For more information, see: Movies Anywhere on Microsoft Movies & TV.
Stay tuned at Gaming Instincts via Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook for more gaming news.
