Hadlee Simons / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Microsoft is shutting down the Xbox 360 Store and web-based marketplace today (July 29).
- You can still purchase backwards compatible Xbox and Xbox 360 games via newer Xbox consoles and the web.
- Unfortunately, that means we’re officially saying goodbye to loads of titles that aren’t backwards compatible.
It’s the end of an era as the Xbox 360 Store and marketplace shut down today (July 29). Microsoft confirmed the store’s pending closure back in August 2023, and the day is unfortunately here.
The company hasn’t disclosed a shutdown time for the storefront, but it’s still working for us as of writing (2:30 AM ET). In any event, the shutdown means users will no longer be able to buy many Xbox 360 games. However, Xbox and Xbox 360 games that are backwards compatible with the Xbox One and Xbox Series consoles can still be purchased via these newer consoles or the web.
It’s also worth noting that Xbox 360 owners can still download their purchased games to the console after today’s shutdown. Furthermore, online multiplayer isn’t affected by the store closure.
Last-minute discounts on Xbox 360 titles
Microsoft has slashed the prices of many Xbox 360 games in the weeks leading up to today’s shutdown. Notable titles receiving major discounts include DMC: Devil May Cry, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, the Resident Evil series, Street Fighter x Tekken, and a load of Lego games. Some of these listed titles aren’t backwards compatible, though, requiring an Xbox 360 console. In saying so, you might want to browse the marketplace for more deals as we’ve come across a few discounted titles that weren’t promoted by the company.
Many titles have received physical releases, so you can still buy some of them at your local used game store. However, Xbox 360 Arcade (digital-only) games will disappear forever if they aren’t backwards compatible. Some personal recommendations that fit this bill include Call of Duty Classic, The Dishwasher series, Renegade Ops, and a variety of arcade and Sega ports.
Either way, it’s disappointing that Microsoft is closing the Xbox 360 store at all. Sony faced a huge backlash from gamers when it tried to shut down the PlayStation 3 store in 2021, with the company deciding to leave it open for the foreseeable future. There are likely technical and financial challenges associated with leaving the Xbox 360 store open, but we really hope this same fate doesn’t eventually befall the Xbox One.
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