The Xbox 360 Store is permanently closing, marking the end of an era for gaming

It’s a very, very sad day for all Xbox fans, as the Xbox 360 Store will be disappearing in just three months.

Last August, Microsoft shocked gamers when it first announced that the Xbox 360 Marketplace would be shutting down after nearly 19 years.

Now, with only a few months left until people have to say goodbye, a warning notice has been added to the official Xbox website.

It reads: “The Xbox 360 Store and Xbox 360 Marketplace (marketplace.xbox.com) will be retired on July 29, 2024.”

This means that after July 29, purchases will no longer be available through the Xbox 360 Store or Xbox 360 Marketplace.

Additionally, any content distributed through the store will also be unavailable. This includes games, trials, add-ons, avatar items, apps, player pictures, game trailers and videos.

It also includes gamertag changes, Xbox subscriptions on Xbox 360, in-game purchases, and even video content through the Microsoft Movies & TV app.

Hundreds of digital games that are not backwards compatible will also be affected, including some iconic games like Fight Night Round 3 and Test Drive Unlimited 2.

Other affected games include “Renegade Ops”, “Mortal Kombat Arcade”, “Ion Assault”, “Backbreaker Vengeance” and more than 200 games.

The industry is nearly two decades old, and the loss of the Xbox Store and Marketplace will likely be felt by many.

Can I still play Xbox 360 games after July 29th?

People can still play any games purchased on the Xbox 360, including those purchased digitally or in physical disc format.

Deleted games can still be re-downloaded even if they have been purchased. As long as the publisher still supports online servers, playing with friends via multiplayer mode won’t be affected either.

You can still buy backwards-compatible Xbox 360 games, as the original statement on the website says the team believes in “celebrating gaming’s rich history and working to preserve as many games as possible through our backwards compatibility program.”

Featured Image: Photo by Arturo Rey on Unsplash