XBOX 360 Marketplace Going Offline July 2024

[Austin]

This has been going around today, courtesy of a Microsoft blog post (https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2023/08/17/xbox-360-store-will-close-july-2024/). Looks like the 360 Marketplace will be going offline next year. Time to start grabbing stuff that you may want before the ability to purchase games shuts down.

 

The key takeaways:

 

- Existing purchases can still be redownloaded and accessed/played after the shutdown date.

- Movies/TV application (to watch videos you purchased) will no longer be accessible.

- You will no longer be able to purchase any 360 titles via the XBOX 360 itself or the Xbox Marketplace web site. Basically, the ability to purchase any title currently locked to the 360 (i.e., not backwards compatible on Xbox One or Series X|S) will no longer be possible.

- Titles that are backwards compatible on Xbox One/Series X|S will still be available for purchase in that marketplace, assuming they have not been delisted (which apparently some have been in recent years).

- Something like 75% of the digital library has not been brought forward to the Xbox One/Series ecosystem. After the shutdown, to gain access to the rest one will have to mod a 360 or pick up physical copies where available (which there aren't many of for the cheaper download titles, like Xbox Live Arcade games).

 

I guess it's been a good run, all things considered. Personally, I was expecting them to keep the store around longer. Thoughts?

Edited August 17, 2023 by Austin

[Razzie.P]

On 8/17/2023 at 2:50 PM, Austin said:

Personally, I was expecting them to keep the store around longer. Thoughts?

I'm the opposite, I think.  I'm personally surprised they haven't already pulled the plug.  I don't want that to happen, but just figured it would.

 

My thoughts though -- not surprised but just hoping that someone archives all those games so they're not lost and can be easily accessed via emulation and/or system mod at some point soon after the company decides they're no longer worth their time.

[Austin]

1 hour ago, Razzie.P said:

My thoughts though -- not surprised but just hoping that someone archives all those games so they're not lost and can be easily accessed via emulation and/or system mod at some point soon after the company decides they're no longer worth their time.

I am pretty sure that part has been taken care of already, for those that have modded systems.

[Atariboy]

I'd like to see them clarify how they're going to handle purchases of backwards compatible content after the cessation of purchasing from the 360 store. I'm 98% sure that I know the answer already, but I'm curious if after this shutdown if new purchases from the Xbox One/Series store of BC 360 content will continue to be reflected in our Xbox 360 purchase history.

 

For instance if I buy DuckTales after the shutdown from the Xbox One store, will it pop up in my purchase history from the Xbox 360 store like it would if I were do this today? I rather doubt it will continue to work like this afterwards, but I'm curious given that the 360 store itself is going to remain online and that the act of associating download licenses with the older store won't involve any credit card interaction and such, making it sound like it should be trivial to continue updating our 360 purchase history.

 

I've built up a fair sized list and will probably defer the few backwards compatible purchases to the bottom of the list, possibly even after the shutdown itself. Worse case is that they will only be able to be played on Xbox One and later systems.

Edited August 21, 2023 by Atariboy

[Atariboy]

Microsoft's FAQ has an answer to my question now. The purchase of backwards compatible 360 games and DLC on the Xbox One or Series storefront after the cessation of purchasing from the 360 storefront will still be reflected in your download history on an Xbox 360.

 

Knowing that will make things a bit easier to catch up with now, although it might pay to double check that each game indeed is available on the newer storefront before deciding to defer on finally buying it. They started slowly migrating over BC titles several years ago and I have no clue if it was ever fully finished. It wouldn't shock me if some BC content remains available to purchase only from the 360 storefront and you'd then be out of luck regardless of backwards compatibility.

Edited August 22, 2023 by Atariboy

[TheCoolDave]

On 8/17/2023 at 2:50 PM, Austin said:

 

- You will no longer be able to purchase any 360 titles via the XBOX 360 itself or the Xbox Marketplace web site. Basically, the ability to purchase any title currently locked to the 360 (i.e., not backwards compatible on Xbox One or Series X|S) will no longer be possible.

 

 

This is not fully correct. If you buy an Xbox 360 game that is on the compatibly list from the Xbox one OR xbox.com it will show up on your Xbox 360 as it's a 360 game and you can install/play it on the 360. This is in the FAQ. 

 

19 hours ago, Atariboy said:

For instance if I buy DuckTales after the shutdown from the Xbox One store, will it pop up in my purchase history from the Xbox 360 store like it would if I were do this today? I rather doubt it will continue to work like this afterwards, but I'm curious given that the 360 store itself is going to remain online and that the act of associating download licenses with the older store won't involve any credit card interaction and such, making it sound like it should be trivial to continue updating our 360 purchase history.

 

I've built up a fair sized list and will probably defer the few backwards compatible purchases to the bottom of the list, possibly even after the shutdown itself. Worse case is that they will only be able to be played on Xbox One and later systems.

 

Yes, till further notice.  You will be able to play games on the compatibly list on the Xbox one OR Xbox 360.  You will be able to play all digital games that you own on the 360 and Re-download them if you have deleted them. All your digital games are tied to your Microsoft account.

 

If you had played a 360 game on an Xbox one console, you notice that it boots up the 360 logo and when you pause the game, it goes to the 360 menus. As I understand it, emulation depends on these services for achievements and multiplayer.

 

So, in a nutshell, the 360 after this date will work exactly the way it works now, play digital, physical, play online (Xbox live), download games that you own, all achievements, EVERYTHING besides buying content ON the Xbox 360. 

 

Besides possibly losing digital games, the 360 will be far from dead... Compared to what other consoles has done (Wii I am looking at you), this is kind of a best-case scenario than just killing the 18 year old system.

Edited August 22, 2023 by TheCoolDave

[Atariboy]

TheCoolDave, you misread both posts that you were responding to.

 

What you quoted from Austin is actually correct. After next July you won't be able to purchase digital 360 titles that aren't on the backwards compatibility list for successor systems. So this indeed will no longer be possible just as Austin said, since they're only available from the Xbox 360 storefront and purchasing is being disabled there. You misconstrued what Austin said and simply restated the same information back to him. 

 

And what you quoted from me actually had nothing to do with your response. I was simply curious if BC 360 purchases made from the XB1 or Series storefront after next July would be reflected in our 360 download history. I already got my answer and posted it from Microsoft's FAQ yesterday evening (the answer is a happy yes, with such purchases not being locked to XB1 or Series systems). It had nothing to do in regard to the continued ability to play BC content on 360 successors (was there ever any doubt?) nor if I could continue to play my digital 360 games on my actual 360 (I know how 360 DRM works so even if the 360's Xbox store was fully going offline next July, I'm set at least for the life of my main 360 that has all my licenses tied to it that enable offline play with my digital games).

 

I do thank you for trying to be helpful with a detailed response. Just an honest mistake and your information might prove to be useful for others.

 

Edited August 22, 2023 by Atariboy

[Austin]

2 hours ago, TheCoolDave said:

 

This is not fully correct. If you buy an Xbox 360 game that is on the compatibly list from the Xbox one OR xbox.com it will show up on your Xbox 360 as it's a 360 game and you can install/play it on the 360. This is in the FAQ. 

Right, that’s correct. What I basically said was, after the shutdown date, you can no longer purchase 360 titles that are NOT backwards compatible on Xbone/Series, as they do not/will not show up in the current/modern Xbox store. Only BC titles will show up on your 360 when buying them from the current storefront.

[Atariboy]

Come to think of it, it's a shame that there couldn't be a non-backwards compatible category on the Xbox One and Series storefront where these games could continue to be sold.

 

I suppose I don't blame them since too many people would buy something, not read the cautionary message how this purchase will only work on a Xbox 360 console, and then complain that their purchase doesn't work on their modern Xbox. But maybe if this category on the store was only accessible from the browser storefront and was hidden on a XB1/Series console, that hurdle could be mitigated.

 

That caveat aside, it would otherwise be an easy way to continue making this content available without the burden of keeping the Xbox 360 store secure for payments (I assume this is the driving force behind this change, given that the 360 storefront otherwise is set to remain online and functioning and purchase keys for 360 content bought from the XB1/Series store will continue to be added to our download history on the 360).

Edited August 22, 2023 by Atariboy

[Jagosaurus]

Seeing this be a year out, I'm thinking we see another round of BC titles tied to ABK acquisition.

 

Here's the reported list of 220 games being delisted from 360 market place. This doesn't count games with physical copies.

 

https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/analysis-more-than-220-digital-games-will-disappear-when-the-xbox-360-store-closes/

 

I didn't overly check these. Several listed have other newer XB releases such as RE, RE0, Xevious.

 

... I really need to buy Rez HD. That's a standout to me. 

[Atariboy]

The official line is that backwards compatibility additions are finished.

 

Never say never, but unlike the last time that the program was halted when Microsoft publicly stated that they were open to restarting it in the future after squaring away XB1 backwards compatibility on the Series X and S, they're stating this time that they're finished.

 

One would hope that if IP situations change such as securing Activision, they'd be flexible and restart it even if it's just for one last round (Activision published a lot of content like the early Call of Duty releases on the original Xbox that aren't on the BC list). 

[Jagosaurus]

Exactly where my mind was going... earlier CoD games.

 

Also, for Game Pass Core, they announced 19 of 25 games available for "free." Interested to see what fills out the list. I was hoping for some Activision BC announcements but runway getting short now (9/15 IIRC).

[Austin]

On 8/22/2023 at 4:45 PM, Atariboy said:

Come to think of it, it's a shame that there couldn't be a non-backwards compatible category on the Xbox One and Series storefront where these games could continue to be sold.

 

I suppose I don't blame them since too many people would buy something, not read the cautionary message how this purchase will only work on a Xbox 360 console, and then complain that their purchase doesn't work on their modern Xbox. But maybe if this category on the store was only accessible from the browser storefront and was hidden on a XB1/Series console, that hurdle could be mitigated.

Yeah that would be a bad idea, having gotten burned by that myself a few times on Sony's storefront.

[Jagosaurus]

Interesting to see Phil Spencer address this.

 

https://www.purexbox.com/news/2023/08/phil-spencer-would-love-to-find-solutions-for-xbox-360-games-being-delisted-in-2024

[TheCoolDave]

4 hours ago, Jagosaurus said:

Interesting to see Phil Spencer address this.

 

https://www.purexbox.com/news/2023/08/phil-spencer-would-love-to-find-solutions-for-xbox-360-games-being-delisted-in-2024

Agreed, as for us retro gamers/game collectors, Phil Spencer is one of the best heads of Xbox because of his thoughts of being worried about game preservation. From this day one he was talking about the importance of preservation. 

 

I hope they come up with a solution for this. No matter, if you or I like or hate the games that are going away, they should be preserved and be able to be played by future generations. 

[Jagosaurus]

@TheCoolDave Agreed on Phil. 

 

Guarantee the preservation scene will be hard at work grabbing these game files over the next year. They'll be preserved and working on a modded xbox 360, just wish they were accessible for the masses.

 

There was a decent amount of DLC for the OG Xbox that is now only playable on a modded system (even the PS2 has some). This will be a similar scenario. Unfortunately, the 360 isn't as easy to mod as the OGX.

[+Stephen]

Will previously purchased games still work?  Like Space Giraffe for example?

[Austin]

On 12/29/2023 at 9:31 PM, Stephen said:

Will previously purchased games still work?  Like Space Giraffe for example?

Yes.

[Radio F Software]

I've already been through this once with the death of the Xbox Live Indie Games platform. I've already spent about $150 picking up Arcade titles and other things that I'd been on the fence over or always meaning to buy but just never did. Right now what's killing me is downloading all the individual tracks for songs I want to play in Rock Band. They're $2 each which isn't much but when the list I compiled is about 100 songs long... yikes.