Windows 8.1 and Early Windows 10 Versions of Microsoft Casual Games Disappeared from...

Here is a new problem. Apparently some new updates on the servers sometime around December 20, 2020 have removed all the versions of many of the casual titles from the Microsoft server, keeping only the latest versions that require
Windows 10 Version 1709 (Build 16299) or later. The affected titles are Microsoft Minesweeper, Microsoft Mahjong, Microsoft Treasure Hunt, Microsoft Jigsaw, and Microsoft Sudoku. The Windows 8.1/RT versions and early Windows 10 versions of these apps have
disappeared. They cannot be found in the Windows 8.1/RT Store anymore. Furthermore, they have disappeared completely from people's app libraries. Thus, reinstallation is no longer possible. I checked my Windows Store library on my RT tablet and none of the
titles are there, not even Wordament, Microsoft Number Puzzle (got this from the Japan Microsoft Store), and Microsoft Solitaire Collection and I have all of these apps installed except for Microsoft Number Puzzle.

The Windows 8.1 Store still works and Windows 8.1 is still supported until 2023. So far, there has been no indication that XBOX Servers for the Windows 8.1 versions of these casual titles are closing except for Microsoft Bingo (already
removed from the Store) which will shut down on April 5, 2021. In the case of Microsoft Jigsaw, an update for the game (unobtainable on Windows RT) re-enables XBOX Live login and downloads Daily Challenges. This update is possibly available for Microsoft Jigsaw
on Windows 8.1 and if you manage to get this installed on Windows 10, the update is there and works fine. Additionally, earlier Windows 10 versions of the apps are removed. This makes it difficult for old versions of Windows 10 (1511, 1607, and 1703) to access
them. Also, Windows 10 Mobile Version 1709 (Build 15254) cannot access the UWP version of Microsoft Mahjong or the Windows Phone 8.1 version of Microsoft Minesweeper. Those are gone. All that is there are apps that require Windows 10 Version 1709 (Build 16299)
to run. One will not find any casual titles in the Windows 8.1 Store if they want to search for them now. They are all gone. Early Windows 10 versions of Microsoft Solitaire Collection, Microsoft Ultimate Word Games, and Microsoft Number Puzzle (Japan Store
needed) however, are still obtainable via the Store on Windows 10 versions earlier than 1709 as these require Windows 10 Version 1507 (Build 10240) to run. The Windows 8.1 version Wordament can be installed on these versions of Windows 10 via sideloading.
The Windows Phone version of Wordament and the early UWP version of Microsoft Solitaire Collection are also obtainable via the Store on Windows 10 Mobile.

The apps that I have on my tablet work very well and achievements still sync from them. It makes no sense to remove all of them from the Windows 8.1 Store and they still work otherwise. Please look into this problem and let us know
if these delistings are linked to future server shutdowns for these casual titles on Windows 8.1/RT so that we can prepare for them. Support for Windows 8.1/RT continues until 2023, the Store still works, and people are still tying to finish their achievements
on those titles for the extra 200 GS. Thanks for looking into this sudden change.

:)