In case you forgot, you’ve only got one day left before the Xbox 360 Marketplace shuts down for good
If you’ve been meaning to pick up something on the Xbox 360, you best do so soon, as you might have forgotten that its digital storefront closes tomorrow.
Last yeah, Microsoft announced that it was shuttering the Xbox 360 Marketplace, a move welcomed by none, but one that isn’t particularly surprising. The Wii U and Nintendo 3DS eShops both closed down last year, and Sony tried to shut down the PS3, Vita, and PSP storefronts back in 2021, though fan outcry ultimately reversed that decision, even if it has become a ball ache to buy anything on those platforms. And now, the death knell is ringing for the Xbox 360, the original pseudo-home for the modern indie game movement, as its digital Marketplace is shutting down tomorrow, July 29.
As it was with the 3DS and Wii U, it’s a bit of a preservationist’s worst nightmare, officially speaking anyway. Last year, VGC released an analysis that found that more than 220 digital Xbox 360 games will no longer be available for purchase anywhere through official channels once the store goes down. This will likely also affect DLC for certain games as well, given how rare it is for most DLC to end up on disc, aside from re-releases of particular games.
Microsoft has done some good work when it comes to making a large number of Xbox games backwards compatible right through to the Xbox Series X/S, but not all of them are, which is a real shame. Sure, not all of them are going to be remembered amongst the pantheon of “best games ever”, but it would still be nice if it was possible to play them in a legal capacity.
A final update was shared by Xbox Wire back in May for various price reductions showing a list of games that are currently on sale, with reductions as high as 90%, so that’s always an option for you if there are some older titles you’re desperate to pick up.
