The Xbox 360 Era Officially Ends Next July

After 18 years, Microsoft will shut the doors on the generation-defining Xbox 360 next July.

The Xbox 360 Era Officially Ends

In 2005, Microsoft released the Xbox 360, the sequel to its first Xbox home console. The Xbox 360 is known for popular games like Halo 3, Gears of War, and Fable 2, but it was also the catalyst for online connectivity.

During this time, the PS3 and Xbox 360 introduced more online features for players to connect with their friends to play games. Microsoft’s home console had a subscription service called Xbox Live, enabling players to play online and connect with friends via party chat. 

However, On Thursday, Microsoft announced it will close the Xbox 360 store on July 29, 2024. The store’s closure will not affect players’ purchases before the July deadline. Players can still buy games and play older titles using Xbox’s backward compatibility feature on newer consoles.

Information from the Xbox Wire

• 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 29, 2024. 

The Future of Xbox 360 Games

Microsoft has clarified that its goal is to preserve older games and carry player purchases to new hardware. This means that even though the Xbox 360 store is no more, that doesn’t mean the company will stop finding ways for you to enjoy your favorite Xbox 360 Games.

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.

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