A piece of Xbox Live Arcade history just quietly disappeared. Boom Boom Rocket, the colorful firework rhythm game from the studio behind Geometry Wars, has been pulled from the Xbox Store with zero advance notice, leaving fans of the 2007 classic caught completely off guard.
- Boom Boom Rocket and all of its DLC packs were quietly delisted from the Xbox Store in mid-June 2026.
- The removal was first spotted by Reddit user bassfoyoface, whose post hit the front page of r/Xbox on June 18.
- Publisher Electronic Arts has not explained the delisting or given any prior warning.
- Anyone who already owns the game can still redownload it through Xbox servers for as long as the storefront stays online.
- The game remains purchasable physically through the Xbox Live Arcade Compilation Disc, still widely sold on eBay.
- This is technically the game’s second delisting, after it was initially pulled from the Xbox 360 marketplace back in early 2021 while staying available via backward compatibility.
Boom Boom Rocket Just Disappeared From The Xbox Store
Boom Boom Rocket was developed by Bizarre Creations, the Liverpool-based studio also known for the Project Gotham Racing series and Geometry Wars, two franchises that became defining names during Microsoft’s early Xbox Live Arcade era. Released in 2007, Boom Boom Rocket tasked players with setting off color-coded firework explosions in time with the music, playing a bit like a more visually flashy cousin to Guitar Hero or Dance Dance Revolution. It became one of the more memorable entries in Xbox Live Arcade’s early catalog, and as the very first rhythm game on the service, it holds a unique place in Xbox history.
That history apparently wasn’t enough to keep it around. The game quietly vanished from the Xbox Store sometime in mid-June 2026, just after passing its 19th anniversary. The removal was first noticed by Reddit user bassfoyoface, and once that post climbed to the front page of r/Xbox on June 18, it became clear plenty of Xbox 360 era fans still cared about this one disappearing.
EA Hasn’t Explained Why The Game Was Removed
What makes this delisting especially frustrating is the complete silence from EA, which published the game through its Pogo division back in 2007. Normally, EA gives players a heads-up before pulling games, particularly ones with online multiplayer components tied to active servers. Boom Boom Rocket does have a two-player mode, but it’s strictly local multiplayer, meaning there’s no online service to actually shut down here, which makes the lack of any announcement even more confusing.
Rather than pulling the game’s entire Xbox Store listing, EA handled this about as quietly as possible by simply disabling the ability to purchase it. The page itself, along with its description and screenshots, is technically still intact, it’s just no longer something you can actually buy. All of the game’s DLC packs were delisted right alongside the base game as well.
You Can Still Play It If You Already Own It
If you already purchased Boom Boom Rocket at some point over the last two decades, there’s no need to panic. Anyone with an existing license can still redownload the game through Xbox’s servers for as long as Microsoft keeps the current storefront running. It’s only new purchases that are affected, not access for existing owners.
This actually isn’t the first time Boom Boom Rocket has dealt with a delisting either. The game was originally pulled from the old Xbox 360 marketplace back in early 2021, though it remained available afterward thanks to Xbox One backward compatibility, which the game gained back in July 2016. This latest removal effectively closes that loophole, fully cutting off new digital purchases through the modern Xbox Store.
There’s Still A Physical Way To Buy It
Surprisingly, Boom Boom Rocket never had quite the same spotlight as something like Geometry Wars, but it actually had a wider reach than its reputation might suggest. It was bundled onto the Xbox Live Arcade Compilation Disc, a physical release that also included Pac-Man Championship Edition, Uno, Luxor 2, Feeding Frenzy, and seven additional game demos. That disc was also packaged together with Sega Superstars Tennis as a two-game combo, and that bundle was even included with certain Xbox 360 consoles sold starting in the 2007 holiday season, meaning a chunk of original owners likely got Boom Boom Rocket without ever buying it directly.
That same compilation disc is still floating around nearly two decades later, regularly showing up on sites like eBay. As of June 2026, listings range anywhere from $1.73 up to $27.95, not including shipping, with some sellers even advertising sealed copies. For now, it remains a cheap and surprisingly accessible way to own a physical piece of Boom Boom Rocket history, though it’s worth wondering whether this fresh wave of attention from the digital delisting ends up pushing demand, and prices, higher for that disc going forward.
For more gaming news, check out our coverage of Black Ops 1 and 2’s PS4/PS5 ports and their DLC pricing concerns, the Resident Evil Veronica Gamescom 2026 reveal rumors, PlayStation’s CEO clarifying its PS5 exclusives strategy, the White House’s GTA 6-style cover post and Rockstar’s response, and the Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game release date and roster.
