If you were hoping to buy a movie or TV show on your Xbox or through the Microsoft Store, you might be out of luck now. Microsoft has officially stopped selling and renting movies and TV series across its storefronts as of July 18.
The company announced this change via an article on the Xbox support site. While anything already purchased will remain available on the Movies and TV app on Xbox, downloads will only be possible on Windows for now.
Streaming apps continue to be accessible through the Microsoft Store on both Xbox and Windows, so you’re not completely cut off from video content. Still, it’s a notable shift away from direct digital purchases.
According to the Microsoft support page, this change affects all Microsoft storefronts, including their website and stores on Windows and Xbox.
The exact reasons behind this decision haven’t been shared, but it’s clear the Xbox division is facing challenges. Recent months have brought multiple waves of layoffs affecting thousands of employees, including cuts within gaming teams and the cancellation of several Microsoft-owned games.
Even companies contracted by Microsoft have been impacted as funding suddenly stopped. Meanwhile, Microsoft appears to be heavily investing in AI technologies, reportedly aiming to replace human developers with AI in certain areas.
Whatever the reasoning, this sudden end to movie and TV sales is frustrating for anyone who has been collecting digital media since the Xbox Video service launched back in 2012. It means their libraries will be split across different platforms, with Microsoft’s store now only offering third-party streaming options.
It’s part of a wider trend among large companies moving away from digital ownership toward streaming and subscriptions, which often leaves consumers wondering how long they’ll actually have access to their purchased content.
At least, the Movies and TV app will continue to allow users to watch their previous purchases and download them on Windows for the time being. However, history shows that these apps and services eventually get discontinued, as happened with the Xbox 360, so the question remains: how long will these options last?
