Xbox Games Store Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Xbox Games Store

Developer	Microsoft
Type	Digital distribution
Launch date	November 2005 (Xbox 360) November 2013 (Xbox One)
Discontinued	October 2017 (Xbox One)
Platform(s)	Xbox 360, Xbox One
Status	Active, shutdown planned for July 29, 2024 (Xbox 360) Merged into Microsoft Store (Xbox One)
Website	Xbox 360 Marketplace

Xbox Games Store (formerly Xbox Live Marketplace) is a digital distribution platform currently used by Microsoft's Xbox 360 video game console and formerly by the Xbox One. The service allows users to download or purchase video games (including both Xbox Live Arcade games and full Xbox 360 titles), add-ons for existing games, game demos along with other miscellaneous content such as gamer pictures and Dashboard themes.

Initially used by the Xbox One during its launch in 2013, after five years the Xbox Games Store was replaced by Microsoft Store, as the standard digital storefront for all Windows 10 devices. The subsequent Xbox Series X/S consoles also use Microsoft Store.

The service also previously offered sections for downloading video content, such as films and television episodes; as of late 2012, this functionality was superseded by Xbox Music and Xbox Video (now known as Groove Music and Microsoft Movies & TV respectively).

In August 2023, Microsoft announced that the Xbox 360 Store will be shutting down on July 29, 2024; however, backwards-compatible Xbox 360 titles will remain available for purchase on the Microsoft Store for Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S after the Xbox 360 Store's sunset date.

Services
Former
Xbox gift card scam
See also

Services

Xbox Live Arcade

Main page: Xbox Live Arcade

The Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) branding encompasses digital-only games that can be purchased from Xbox Games Store on the Xbox 360, including ports of classic games and new original titles.

Games on Demand

The Games on Demand section of Xbox Games Store allows users to purchase downloadable versions of Xbox 360 titles, along with games released for the original Xbox. Most of all, some of the delisted downloadable contents of the respective Xbox 360 games are also included in this edition.

Xbox Live Indie Games

Main page: Xbox Live Indie Games

As part of the "New Xbox Experience" update launched on November 19, 2008, Microsoft launched Xbox Live Community Games, and later renamed to "Xbox Live Indie Games", a service similar to Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA), with smaller and less expensive games created by independent developers and small studios. Such games are added to the service after successfully passing through a peer review system that prevents inappropriate content from appearing in games and ensures that games meet certain technical standards and do not misrepresent their content.

Former

Initial content partners included Paramount Pictures, CBS, TBS, MTV Networks, UFC, NBC, and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. Other movie studios have since supported the service including Lionsgate Films and Walt Disney Pictures as announced at E3 2007. At CES 2008, MGM, ABC, the Disney Channel and Toon Disney announced their support for the service.

Various films and TV shows were available for purchase in the Video Store, including both past and present series, such as Star Trek and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Initially, while TV shows could be downloaded and saved, films could only be rented—expiring 24 hours after initial viewing or 14 days after purchase.

At launch, the Video Store encountered widespread problems such as lengthy download times, duplicate billing for the same content, and downloads that could not complete, or for which users would have had to repay to complete.

On March 6, 2007, the South Park episode "Good Times with Weapons" was available for free download; however, this episode was free only for the HDTV version until April 3, 2007. Starting on March 13, 2007, all episodes from South Park's 11th season were offered uncensored. Also, starting on July 26, 2007, the pilot episode of Jericho was available for download free of charge for both the Standard and HD versions.

In late 2009, the Video Marketplace was replaced by the Zune Video Marketplace, and later accompanied by a Zune Music Marketplace. Both Zune Marketplaces were replaced by the new Xbox Music and Xbox Video services in late 2012.

Xbox gift card scam

Besides using direct funds to purchase items from the Xbox Games Store, Microsoft offered Xbox gift cards that could be purchased at retail outlets or included in game packages. These cards included a 25 alpha-numeric code that could be redeemed via the Xbox or on the web for specific content or towards Xbox Points to be used for purchase on the store.

In 2017, Volodymyr Kvashuk was hired at a contractor within Microsoft. He was part of a team to test Microsoft's e-commerce websites which included the purchasing of Xbox gift cards. Kvashuk found that in the test scenarios, he was being given legitimate Xbox gift card codes. He began quietly collecting codes and later sold these to others. By the time he was caught by federal agents, he had obtained over $10 million in value of Xbox gift cards and sold these at about half their value for Bitcoin, from which he purchased an expensive house and car. Microsoft had discovered the large use of these gift cards and eventually traced it to an internal source, leading them and federal agents to Kvashuk, who was convicted and found guilty on 18 felonies in 2020.

Xbox Games Store facts for kids

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