Microsoft is killing Xbox Fitness on July 1, 2017

Microsoft announced today that the Xbox Fitness exercise video app for the Xbox One and all content for it will become unavailable on July 1, 2017.

“Given the service relies on providing you with new and exciting content regularly, Microsoft has given much consideration to the reality updating the service regularly in order to sustain it,” Erica Bell, marketing coordinator and community manager for Xbox Fitness at Microsoft, wrote in a blog post. “Therefore, the decision has been made to scale back our support for Xbox Fitness over the next year.” (Hat tip to the Verge for reporting on the news.)

Xbox Fitness, from Microsoft Studios, was one of the features Microsoft touted when it launched the Xbox One in 2013. In December Microsoft said that Xbox Fitness no longer required the Kinect sensor. The Wii Fit U from Nintendo is a competitor.

My colleague Jeff Grubb’s wife, Stephanie Grubb, was a fan of Xbox Fitness.

Before Xbox Fitness goes away entirely, Microsoft is taking gradual steps to remove it from Xbox One owners’ everyday lives. Starting today, people won’t be able to purchase for content. And on December 15, the “Free with Gold” offer will go away.

“Until then, Gold members will still be able to access and play the over 30+ workouts available for streaming as a part of this offer for free,” Bell wrote.