Microsoft Xbox 360 Store is closing for good next year, here is how it will impact users

Microsoft has announced it will close the Xbox 360 Store and the Xbox 360 Marketplace in July next year, causing more than 220 titles to disappear for good. This means that Xbox 360 users will not be able to buy and play new games or any DLC (downloadable content) from the store after July 29, 2024.

“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),” Dave McCarthy, corporate vice president of Xbox player services, said in a blog post on Thursday.

How the closing down of the Xbox 360 Store will impact users

Between now and July next year, users can continue purchasing games and downloadable content (DLC) from the Xbox 360 Store and at the Xbox 360 Marketplace, the company said.

“This change will not affect your ability to play Xbox 360 games or DLC you have already purchased,” McCarthy explained. “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.”

However, there are several titles that currently do not have backward compatibility on the latest Xbox consoles. Moreover, more than 220 titles do not have their physical counterparts. This means a major loss for Xbox 360 users, who will eventually have to move to the latest consoles. But considering there is still about a year left to the closure of the marketplace, developers are likely to introduce a good deal of titles for the current-generation consoles.

Even after July 2024, users will still be able to play games and connect with friends through multiplayer on the games they purchased, as long as the publisher still supports the online servers.

Why the Xbox 360 Store is closing down

McCarthy further mentioned that a lot has changed since the Xbox 360 launched in 2005, technology has evolved, expectations from players have shifted, and the company is focused on making Xbox Series X|S the “best place to play now and in the future”.

Also, 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 29, 2024.

On Tuesday, the Microsoft-owned gaming console brand had introduced a new enforcement strike system that educates players about enforcement severity, cumulative effect of multiple enforcements and the total impact on their standing.