Microsoft has announced that on 29 July, 2024, the Xbox 360 Store on the Xbox 360 and the Xbox 360 Marketplace on the web will close their doors. For once, one of these service or online store shutdowns is actually being handled well, as Microsoft states:
This change will not affect your ability to play Xbox 360 games or DLC you have already purchased. Xbox 360 game content previously purchased will still be available to play , not only the Xbox 360 console but also Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S devices via backward compatibility.
While it doesn’t mention downloading existing content you own, several other reports state this is possible. If so, this would make it the fairest way to shut down a service like this.
On a related personal note, I should really order a replacement disc drive for my venerable Xbox 360 – an original one, still working other than the broken drive! – and fix it back up. I’ve got a huge collection of 360 games I want to keep being able to play.
This right here is why replacing physical storage with online service is problematic. Even if online services are otherwise good, we can loose a great deal of control and manufacturers will inevitably drop support on old titles that were paid for long ago and are no longer profitable.
The ad where playstation made fun of xbox DRM is a good reminder of what we are loosing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_egrJghyq_w
Alfman,
I am not sure whether physical or digital are better in this case.
It is possible to physically replace the Xbox 360 drive:
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Xbox+360+Optical+Drive+Replacement/3358
(Same is true for the PS3. I had to fix mine, which required a similar disassembly procedure. Actually more, since I fixed the internal loading mechanism inside the drive).
Anyway, this will *not* work. Since both consoles (seem to) contain the encryption keys inside those drives. Even another official drive will not cut it.
People mention swapping out the logical board with the older drive’s, and I am sure there might be hackers out there.
But i you are in this territory, why not sail the high seas and use emulation?
Alfman,
Repair ability is another aspect of defunct hardware, especially if it’s manufactured to be irreparable. But that’s a different discussion to being remotely cut off at the company’s whim. There’s more than one way to be hostile to consumers. We shouldn’t accept it, but when the masses go along with it, owner restrictions becomes the norm. 🙁
If if works, then more power to you, although this has it’s own obstacles. Some companies look down upon this even if you own a title.
https://www.gamerevolution.com/news/940641-nintendo-reveals-why-it-blocked-dolphin-emulator-steam-release
Alfman,
Yes, Nintendo is acting like a bully in this space. And unfortunately it works (We, like many other households bought a Switch, and “remakes” of many old games).
That being said, specifically for 360/PS3 generation it was easier to “dump” your digital games than your physical ones. (Though of course connecting online again after you hack your own machine would mean banning your account, and most likely loss of all the digital content you “bought”)
But today the situation is worse, much worse. Many games have “always online” components, which sometimes include the main game itself. (Halo Infinite for Xbox did not have the single player campaign on disk, but at least it allowed offline play. Gran Turismo from PlayStation would not even play offline, in most single player modes). And I don’t think it will become easier anymore. With layers of hypervisors, everything being encrypted, and most of the game data not even being on disk anymore, we might assume Xbox One/PS4/Switch is the very last generation with proper long term game preservation.
Anyway, I think I am starting to rant again…