Microsoft recently announced that Xbox Live will no longer support Xbox 360 games and transactions, forcing the 12-year-old console offline after almost a decade-and-a-half of gaming. The news has been met with sadness from players around the world, who will soon no longer be able to play and purchase the many fantastic titles available on the platform.
However, Phil Spencer, the head of Xbox, has provided some hope that some of these titles may be saved. In a recent interview, Phil said he “would love to find solutions” that will allow players to continue to enjoy Xbox 360 games after the store closes down in late 2021.
Phil also said that the Xbox team is talking to partners and doing “a lot of work” to ensure players will still be able to access their favourite titles in some form, whether that’s via streaming services, downloads, or through an emulator. He also mentioned that Microsoft is open to exploring different ways to make Xbox 360 games available, such as subscription models.
Phil said that his team is focused on delivering the best possible gaming experience on Xbox Series X|S and the only reason the Xbox 360 store was closing was because the cost of keeping it open was too high. He noted that Microsoft did not want their investments in the new consoles to be “especially on the back of a retro store which doesn’t add as much value to the overall gaming experience.”
Despite this, Phil seemed upbeat about providing solutions for Xbox 360 players and ensuring that the console’s legacy lives on. He believes that players should be able to continue to access the titles they’ve come to love, and he’s looking for ways to make this happen.
This news has been welcomed by the gaming community, as many can now rest assured that their favourite titles won’t disappear forever when the store closes. It’s yet to be seen what the solutions Phil has in mind will be, but it’s encouraging to know that there’s someone at the head of Xbox who cares about preserving the legacy of the console.
The final fate of Xbox 360 games is yet to be revealed, but with Phil Spencer at the helm, players can be assured that the team will be doing whatever it takes to ensure that their favourite titles live on.
