Microsoft has announced it will begin delisting older games from its Xbox 360 console Marketplace, with around 46 classic games set to depart by the end of February 2023. An exact reason behind the sunsetting wasn't shared, however it’s likely related to expiring licenses for content, and the complications of maintaining a semi-defunct storefront.
‘Beginning on February 7, 2023, a limited group of games, add-ons, and in-game content won't be purchasable in select markets through the Xbox 360 console Store,’ a Microsoft spokesperson told Gematsu of the changes.
They also explained this will only impact the Xbox 360 console form of the Microsoft marketplace: ‘These titles will no longer be purchasable on the Xbox 360 Store only, and titles that are offered to be purchased around the Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S Stores will stay purchasable.’
Players will still be in a position to play discs, and re-download content they’ve already purchased through the marketplace, or on modern consoles, so long as these games are backward compatible.
Titles set to be delisted on Xbox 360 console consoles include heavy hitters like Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, Dark Souls, The Witcher 2, and more – with every representing a core part of gaming history.
While the Xbox 360 console Marketplace is not shutting down imminently, this decision does appear to be a first step towards sunsetting the store. Given the console is now two generations behind things as they are, we wouldn’t be surprised to see additional steps in future.
For now, the next titles will depart the Xbox 360 console Marketplace in the United States along with other regions:
- Aegis Wing
- Assassin's Creed Brotherhood
- Assassin's Creed III
- Assassin's Creed IV
- Assassin's Creed Liberation HD
- Blood from the Werewolf
- Blue Dragon
- Breakdown
- Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
- Call of Duty: Ghosts
- Castle Crashers
- Cloning Clyde
- Counter-Strike: GO
- Dark Souls
- Darksiders II
- DAYTONA USA
- Defense Grid
- Eets: Chowdown
- Far Cry 2
- Final Fight: Double Impact
- Iron Brigade
- Jeremy McGrath's Offroad
- Jet Set Radio
- Left 4 Dead
- Left 4 Dead 2
- LIMBO
- Lost Odyssey
- Mass Effect 2
- MONOPOLY DEAL
- Mutant Blobs Attack
- N+
- Outpost Kaloki X
- Peggle 2
- Phantom Breaker:Battle Grounds
- Prince of Persia
- R.U.S.E.
- Sega Vintage Collection: Alex Kidd & Co.
- Skate 2
- South Park: The Stick of Truth
- Spelunky
- SplinterCellConviction
- Star Wars Battlefront
- Star Wars KOTOR 2
- The Orange Box
- The Raven Episode 1
- The Witcher 2
Game removals differ per region, but you will find commonalities in between each list. If you’re keen to determine what’s being removed locally, Xbox has outlined every major change here. You can expect to see titles disappearing from 7 February 2023.
