Summary
- Microsoft will be shutting down the Xbox 360 store on July 29, 2024, ending the ability to purchase new games and content for the console.
- While Xbox 360 gamers will still be able to download previously purchased content, they will lose the ability to buy new games digitally.
- Xbox 360 multiplayer services will remain online, and Movies & TV content can still be accessed on Windows 10+ PCs and newer Xbox consoles.
Microsoft has confirmed that it is shutting down the Xbox 360 store on July 29, 2024. The Xbox 360 ushered in the seventh generation of consoles all the way back in 2005 and remains Microsoft's best-selling video game console to date. The 360 was ahead of the PS3 for most of that generation, building up an incredible library of games that are still looked back on fondly to this day.
Even though the Xbox 360 is two generations old now, there are still people that enjoy playing its games. In fact, many Xbox 360 games are readily available to play on both Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S consoles thanks to the backward compatibility program. But while there are many Xbox 360 games available through backward compatibility, there are many others that are only playable on Xbox 360. And unfortunately, fans will be losing the ability to purchase those games digitally starting next year.
The Xbox 360 digital marketplace will shut down on July 29, 2024, at which point gamers can no longer purchase new games, DLC, or other content for the console, including movies and TV shows. The Movies & TV app is shutting down completely on that day, meaning gamers will no longer be able to watch any movies or TV show content they purchased on the device on that day. This is pretty devastating news for Xbox 360 fans, but it's not all doom and gloom.
When is the Xbox 360 Store Shutting Down?
- July 29, 2024
While gamers will lose the access to purchase games digitally on Xbox 360 beginning July 29, 2024, they will still be able to download content that they've already purchased. The shut-down also does not apply to the Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S consoles, meaning any backward compatible Xbox 360 games can still be purchased on Microsoft's newer platforms. Microsoft is also keeping the Xbox 360 multiplayer services online for the foreseeable future.
As far as Movies & TV content, it's all still available to view on Windows 10+ PCs, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. So while Xbox 360 gamers are losing the ability to watch the content on the console, they will still have all of it in their digital library.
There was a great deal of backlash when Sony announced plans to shut down the PlayStation Store on PS3, but it remains to be seen if there will be a similar reaction to the Xbox 360 shutdown. The fact that many big Xbox 360 games are readily available to play on modern Xbox consoles through the backward compatibility program may keep outrage to a minimum, but time will tell.