Unfortunately, nothing is permanent in this world - that applies to video games too. TheXbox 360launched all the way back in November 2005, and while that might only feel like yesterday for some gamers, that was almost 18 years ago, and the Xbox 360 is well and truly considereda “retro” console. And unfortunately, at least right now, the gaming industry doesn’t have the greatest desire to preserve games in their original formats, which has directly led to the disappearance of multiple Xbox 360 games.
Beginning on August 04, 2025, Microsoft has started the arduous process ofdelisting over 40 games from the Xbox 360 marketplace. It’s currently unclear exactly when all of these titles will be leaving, or how Microsoft is planning to approach the shutdown logistically, but one thing is for certain; a good few Xbox 360 games will no longer be available to purchase from here on out, and a lot of them will be sorely missed.
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Remembering Some of the Best Xbox 360 Games That Have Just Been Delisted
Generally speaking,Microsoft’s approach to backwards compatibilityhas been phenomenal. For the most part, fans with an Xbox Series X or S can play practically every Xbox One game ever made, the vast majority of Xbox 360 titles, and even quite a few original Xbox classics, all from the comfort of their shiny new boxes. But not every game is included on that list. So while this Xbox 360 marketplace wipeout won’t affect most of the titles being delisted, there are a handful that have now been, or are about to be completely wiped out from existence.
Some of the biggest games that have been delisted, that aren’t currently backwards compatible or even purchasable on modern Xbox consoles, come from one of the biggest publishers around, Valve.Left 4 Dead,Left 4 Dead 2, andthe entireOrange Box, featuringHalf-Life 2and all of its Episodes,Portal, andTeam Fortress 2, have all been delisted from the Xbox 360 marketplace. While all of these games can still be bought, and played, via physical discs, it’s always possible that this mass digital exodus will artificially inflate those physical game prices, just like collectors have seen countless times over the past few years.
Those aren’t the only big-name games that have left theXbox 360marketplace. The surprisingly solid 2008Prince of Persiagame is another title that’s left the console, as is the iconicSkate 2,and the fairly well-reviewed RTSR.U.S.E. Though all three of these games have physical versions, they’re likely to suffer the same fate as the Valve titles mentioned above.
When it comes to games that don’t have any physical versions, meaning this wipeout could potentially mark the end of their life, there are a good few that fans will likely miss quite dearly.Jet Set Radiois one such game, being a cult classic that’s absolutely worth preserving, although it does admittedly have a PC port.Spelunkyis an Xbox Arcade classic that also has a PC port now, but its original Xbox 360 iteration is synonymous with the console, and seeing it disappear completely from it is pretty sad. TheDouble Fine-developedIron Brigadeis another Xbox 360 cult classic that’s now gone forever, and it’s rare that fans get to see experimental, genre-mixing titles like it in the modern gaming age.
