The first Call of Duty game, the one that kicked off the whole series, was released all the way back in 2003. The game is currently on sale before the Xbox 360 store closes down on the 29th of July next month.
You can only play it on the 360, and it’s not backward compatible with Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S. If you want to relive those moments, now’s the time.
Xbox Store Shutting Down marks the end of an era
Microsoft announced that the Xbox 360 Store and marketplace will shut down on July 29, 2024. After this date, you won’t be able to purchase any new games or DLCs for the 360. If you already own the games, you can still download them, but buying new ones will be impossible.
For fans of the original game, this is pretty sad news. The first game in the series is something special, and players might miss out on it forever as the physical copies of the game are extremely rare and quite expensive too.
This also affects other classic games, especially from the original Xbox era that haven’t been remastered to the following console generations. After the store closes down, hunting down physical copies of the games in order to play them becomes extremely difficult due to limited availability and high pricing.
Microsoft’s focus has naturally shifted towards its newer consoles. Maintaining an online store for a decade-old platform becomes less sustainable over time, and doesn’t make a lot of sense for them. Keeping the Xbox 360 Marketplace operational requires ongoing maintenance and security updates. As technology evolves, these efforts can become increasingly resource-intensive for Microsoft.
Looking Ahead to Call of Duty Black Ops 6
The original Call of Duty threw players into the heart of historical battles, from the storming of Normandy to the brutal defense of Stalingrad. The graphics might seem dated compared to the upcoming Black Ops game, but the core gameplay holds up remarkably well. The satisfying sounds of gunfire and the intensity of each firefight still remain.
Looking forward, Black Ops 6 is set to launch on October 25th, 2024, bringing the iconic Black Ops series back into the spotlight after a four-year developmental period. Developed by Treyarch and Raven Software, the game returns to the Cold War era. This time, the game takes place in the 90’s.
While narrative details are scarce, developers have hinted at a mind-bending narrative that pushes the boundaries of the series’ storylines. Players will control a brand-new character named Rook, along with plenty of new and familiar faces. Woods and Adler will also return, and the campaign promises to be an action-packed one that offers plenty of amazing set pieces and more that’s expected of Treyarch campaigns.
For players subscribed to Game Pass, the game will be available to download and play on launch day at no additional cost. This is a significant perk for subscribers and marks the first game from the series to come to game pass on day one after the Activision Blizzard acquisition.
Are you looking forward to the upcoming game? Let us know in the comments.
