Last week, it was announced that Microsoft is set to close the Xbox 360 Store in July 2024. When that happens, players will no longer be able to buy new games, DLC, or other content from the marketplace. While hundreds of games will be able to still be played on the Xbox Series X|S, there are plenty that you can’t play right now.
In a sit down with Eurogamer, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said that game preservation is important to him and his team. Because of that, the idea of not being able to play certain games again when the Xbox 360 Store closes is something that sits in his head.
“There’s a list of, what 220 games that are not back compat, and I have that list and I’ve got it stapled on my forehead, and like, how can we make sure [you can play them still?],” Spencer said.
“How many of those are on PC? That’s one thing, because it doesn’t necessarily mean you need to be able to play it on the existing hardware that you bought 15 years ago, but preservation is front and center when all these decisions are made. I will say for us that preservation that’s linked to only one piece of hardware is a challenge.
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“Because there can be hardware love as well – people who love and want this device to do this forever – but mechanical things will break over time. But that’s why we gave people with this decision a year. Let’s say ‘hey, if you want to go buy things in the 360 store, we’re going to give you a year headstart, and you can go get those things’. And just know that the list of the 220 games is something that we see, and we would love to find solutions for those games to continue to play.”
Going back to game preservation, Spencer told the outlet that the reason Xbox also releases its games on PC is partially for that reason. Spencer says that he believes that PC “is the best ecosystem for game preservation because it’s not tied to one piece of hardware”.
As far as any solutions, that is still likely a way off, if ever coming. For now, Xbox 360 owners will just have to make sure that any games they may want but can’t play on Xbox Series X|S are purchased before the Xbox 360 Store closes on July 29, 2024.
Are you concerned about the games you can’t play on Xbox Series X|S via backward compatibility? For more Insider Gaming, check out what Phil Spencer had to say about console price cuts.
Everybody and their team.
We want need for speed most wanted you have everyone of them available except this one. And. This is the best one. And why didn’t you complete the matrix demo game and you just fooled everyone like this game was really going to come out. AND WE BUY THE SYSTEM AND NOTHING COMES OUT FROM THE. MATTRIX…WOW THats how you treat your devoted fans and game player family.
Yeah it’s tough I’m just curious what the particular issues are. Is it licensing? The devs go under and the IP is gone or changed hands? Or have they stopped investing in it? If it’s the latter then I’m more than a little confused. It’s a big selling point for collectors and enthusiast like myself. Hopefully they figure something out. I’m running out of space to keep consoles connected.
I miss the early southpark games. Tower defence and forget the name of the second one. Weird that both didn’t get backwards compatibility
I think Scott tenermans revenge
Need for speed shift and race driver grid and dirt and other games too make like game pass all games that are not compatible with Xbox backwards.
When the store closes will even the disc you have stop being able to be used?
No don’t close the store from the Xbox 360 we will lose all our game in all our save data all the games will be lost that would really suck instead you should approve the Xbox 360 store and it software and combine it with the new gens in the future like already is if so you should move all the Xbox 360 games and it saved data to the series s and x that would be a huge and improvement cuz we all don’t just want our Xbox 360s just to be throwing away we can’t use to connect no more that sucks it would be a huge letdown
Xbox anything past the first was a fraud,why would they use.. out of business low interest start up Microsoft, windows was choppy,when ypu seen Microsoft you should havw defered meaning not them,and if you wanted something back for your spending how you going to get it..they not A legit company or business,xbox 360,PS3,4,5, they are trash,graphics are PC beginning in reality games,we were way pass that with sega 128 and neo geo,they scammed everyone..and they not XBox or PlayStation representitives,they have no connected company critique…that scam they running is shameful,they dont stay live,your radio live your tv live,but they like A bad TV show get shut down..non professional real bad taste for society
when you purchased the first Xbox it was live,dream cast, PlayStation 2,they were already live,with A unknown source for life,I have A 35 year old live Xbox,we play street basketball and talk it up,if it says live look for unknown source that system is real, promotion in gaming , legendary sound,Sony,Miramax,RCA,IBM, Panasonic,they make great factory systems, Casio makes good rockstar games,twisted metal,bill gates wasn’t A inventor,he was A scam,no one even heard of him..on Wall Street,its A great big scam,a hustle to make you feel gaming unprotected,it takes business skill to see in the real world,the things you doing wont get off the ground…