Microsoft Drops Zune Marketplace

According to an email from Microsoft, the Zune Marketplace will no longer be available on the Xbox 360 on November 22nd. This was a long time coming, but inevitable, especially with the Xbox One on the way, and Microsoft’s new direction for multimedia entertainment on their consoles. Here’s more from the email: 

We recently notified you that with the Fall 2013 release of the Xbox 360 update, Microsoft Points are being retired. This email is a confirmation that as part of this update, Zune Marketplace will no longer support rental and purchase of content, or browsing movies and TV shows, beginning as early as November 22, 2013. 

The message details the departure of Microsoft Points, instead allowing players to use real currency to make digital purchases. If you still have Microsoft Points, the email outlines just how to redeem them: 

If you have a remaining Microsoft Points balance, you can transition your Microsoft account from Microsoft Points to local currency by initiating a purchase or redeeming a Microsoft Points card or code on your Xbox 360, or in the Video app or Music app on a Windows 8.1 tablet or PC. At that time, we’ll add to your account an amount of currency equal to or greater than the Xbox stores value of your Microsoft Points. Beginning as early as November 22, you can also transition your account to local currency by initiating a purchase or redeeming a Microsoft Points card on your Xbox One or at XboxVideo.com. 

Any video that was purchased on the Zune Marketplace will still be available on Xbox Video, so no worries there. However, it doesn’t say if any music that was purchased will transfer over, and instead offers an alternative to buying songs: 

For video, you can now rent and buy the latest blockbuster movies and TV shows using your local currency on Xbox Video. Xbox Video is available now on your Xbox 360, or Windows 8.1 and RT PCs and tablets. It will also be available on the web at XboxVideo.com and your Xbox One starting November 22, and on Windows Phone 8 as early as this holiday. And, the video content you’ve purchased through Zune Marketplace will be available to you on all of these Xbox Video stores. 

For music, you can purchase your favorite songs and albums, including the latest new releases, using your local currency on Windows 8.1 PCs and tablets. 

We’ll know more in a few days when the Xbox One comes out.