Summary
Xbox Series X|Sowners who yearn for the previous console generations are in for a nostalgic treat asMicrosoft announced a beloved feature from the Xbox 360 has made a return on modern hardware, even if it is just a shadow of its former self. Many Xbox players are currently looking to the past after the news that the Xbox 360 store will permanently shut down on July 29. Following a string of major discounts on classic games from the era, the Series X|S is showing off its own tribute to the landmark device.
Over on X (formerly Twitter),Xboxannounced thatall players now have access to a free dynamic background modeled on the iconic “Blades Menu"that shipped with original Xbox 360 consoles.
The Blades are widely regarded by many as being one of the best UI elements from that hardware generationand despite many demands to bring it back for modern platforms, Microsoft focused more on implementing and refining the “Tiles” format. This new dynamic background has some 360-esque ripples, but the actual “blades” are just for display and don’t shift to the sides to reveal different menus.
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The Xbox 360 is perhaps the most beloved of Microsoft’s consoles, with an extensive library of acclaimed titles that still hold up to this day.
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Grab Those Classics While You Still Can
The Blades-inspired backgroundfor Xbox Series X|S comes just days ahead of the Xbox 360 store’s closure, an event that’s been in the works for well over a year now since it was originally announced in August 2023. As mentioned above,many classic games are now deeply discounted on the storeto ensure thosewho still peruse the marketplacecan pick up any retro gems they may still want in their library. Those who have a healthy collection of Xbox 360 games will still be able to download and play themthanks to backward compatibility.
Of course, the games players will likely want to grab on their Xbox 360 arethose that aren’t backward compatible with the Series X|S. Many older titles do sport the feature but some hits likeSingularity, Prototype, Bulletstorm, The Evil Within, andRed Faction: Guerillaare just a handful of the titles that have had their prices slashed. The Xbox One versions of some of these older games may still be playable on newer devices, but the original 360 versions will unfortunately die with the store.
While it may be a sad time for players who grew up with an Xbox 360 as their primary console, the Blades background is at least a fun tribute to the dying storefront. To equip the background to the Series X|S,it can be found under the “Dynamic Backgrounds” option which in turn is located with the Personalization optionin the Settings menu. Just don’t be disappointed when the tiles still largely dominate the home page.
