Well this is it, you have 2 months to fire up Halo 2 or any other Xbox Oringinal game and play online. We learned today that Microsoft will be turning off the servers for the original Xbox in order to push the service forward. For a while now MS has mentioned that the original Xbox being connected to the service was the reason friends list was stuck at 100.  It sounds like they have some tricks up their sleeves and with this announcement hitting less than a week from their own gaming show one might think that we will hear about some new features coming soon to Xbox Live on the 360.  The top game on Xbox Live Origninal shas been Halo 2 since it launched, checking Bungie.net less than 4 thousand gamers logged in over the last 24 hours. Now if that is the top game on the service you can start to understand this move.

A Letter from Marc Whitten: Discontinuation of Xbox LIVE for Original Xbox Games

Dear Xbox LIVE Members,

On April 15 we will discontinue the Xbox LIVE service for original Xbox consoles and games, including Xbox v1 games playable on Xbox 360 and Xbox Originals. I want to start by saying this isn’t a decision we made lightly, but after careful consideration, it is clear this will provide the greatest benefit to the Xbox LIVE community.

Seven years ago we laid out our vision for the connected console when we launched Xbox LIVE. We believed then that the power of the Internet to connect people would revolutionize living room entertainment. It started with amazing multiplayer games, and we’ve since seen that bet pay off again and again with the launches of Xbox 360, Marketplace, Netflix and powerful social features like Facebook, Twitter and Last.fm. None of this would have been possible without the success of LIVE as a multiplayer gaming network.

There’s no greater example of the power of the Xbox LIVE community than the “Halo” franchise. “Halo 2” has had an amazing run on LIVE, with a dedicated community more than five years after launch and well into the next generation of consoles. It has fundamentally changed the way we play video games. And while it’s difficult to see that run come to an end, the “Halo” franchise continues to act as the benchmark for multiplayer gaming in this generation, with “Halo 3,” “Halo 3: ODST” and soon “Halo: Reach” on Xbox 360.

Your Xbox LIVE community has grown to 23 million strong. And as we look down the road, we’ll continue to evolve the service with features and experiences that harness the full power of Xbox 360. To reach our aspiration, we need to make changes to the service that are incompatible with our original Xbox v1 games. We will contact the Xbox LIVE members directly impacted by this change and if this includes you, I encourage you to check your LIVE messages and associated e-mail account over the coming weeks for more details and opportunities. We view you as a partner in this process.

We’ll share more details soon, but in the meantime I want to assure you that the best is yet to come for Xbox LIVE. I believe we’ll look back on 2010 as a landmark year in gaming and home entertainment, and I couldn’t be more excited about what we have in store with “Project Natal” and LIVE. The LIVE community is the driving force behind everything we do, and it’s because of the community that ground-breaking experiences on Xbox continue to be possible.

See you on LIVE,

Marc Whitten

Written by :

U2NUMB

 

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cakeytaste

Microsoft Discontinuing Original Xbox Live Access Feb 05 2010 14:01:43 Unlimited friends' lists, I look forward to seeing you soon.

#14895

edgeofblade

Microsoft Discontinuing Original Xbox Live Access Feb 05 2010 14:01:50 This news is drawing out every hate-mongering anti-captialist bullshit Microsoft detractor on the internet, claiming "planned obsolescence" and worrying about the cash they spend on Halo 2 maps. Geez, what a huge non-issue.

#14896

Knight

Re:Microsoft Discontinuing Original Xbox Live Access Feb 05 2010 15:53:31 I know, it's pretty funny. Unless you just bought Halo 2 within the last year(seriously?), you've probably been playing Halo 2 on and off since around the time it came out, and you definitely got your money's worth of entertainment(or didn't and traded it in). As far as the maps go people still have their maps and if they have any friends you can obviously still play over LAN. The funnier thing though was when I read some comment somewhere that said something like "...I can still play my PS2 games over the internet, for free, like always." He was right, but then I thought what would I be playing on my PS2 online? My mind came up blank. Anyone? What was/is so good online on the PS2 that I would still play it over today's games?

#14897

Kyle

Microsoft Discontinuing Original Xbox Live Access Feb 05 2010 17:16:47 Part of me is sad about this move and part of me is optimistic about it. I had some of the best gaming years on the Xbox Live service from when it first launched up until now. I know I'll never go back and play those games but just knowing I could hop back on one at anytime was awesome. I'm optimistic because I can see them obviously increasing the friends list to a huge number. The biggest part is not more Halo 2 multiplayer where we all came together to play and met. And Knight, you could still play FFXI on the PS2.. It's worth playing on there. That's pretty much it though. We shall be having a Game Night or two on Halo 2 before the service is gone for good!

#14898

Maneatingcow23

Re:Microsoft Discontinuing Original Xbox Live Access Feb 05 2010 17:36:19 I guess I don't really understand why they can't just shut down the old service and do some sort of downloadable patch on the 360 so you can just play your XBox originals there.... Seems like that would be a win-win for everyone.

#14899

CrAzYbRoS

Re:Microsoft Discontinuing Original Xbox Live Access Feb 05 2010 20:17:31 But...you...can play your old Xbox originals on the 360... Btw, who the heck plays anything other than Halo 2 on the original Xbox Live anymore? I mean...time to moooove oooon.

#14901

Ethan

Microsoft Discontinuing Original Xbox Live Access Feb 06 2010 02:23:51 For God sakes, I don't care about whether or not Original Xbox Live dies, just give me Odd World: Strangers Wrath as backwards compatibility. I've been waiting 4 FUCKING YEARS for it to be backwards compatible. Please, Microsoft gods, if you can hear me, make it backwards compatible.

#14903

Kari

Microsoft Discontinuing Original Xbox Live Access Feb 06 2010 21:47:48 HALO 2 I WILL MISS YOU.

#14907

toowicked4u

Microsoft Discontinuing Original Xbox Live Access Feb 08 2010 20:29:52 Anyone up for a final Halo 2 Gamenight?

#14924