Bungie saddened by Xbox Live switch off

Developer Bungie has said that's its saddened players will no longer be able to take part in Halo 2 online multiplayer matches, as Microsoft intends to shut down the original Xbox Live service in April.

Last week Microsoft said it would flick the switch on the service to make way for improvements and features on Live for the Xbox 360 – no Xbox games played on either the old or current hardware, nor Xbox Originals purchased over Xbox Live, will be playable online from April 15.

"We're all saddened at the realisation that an era is coming to an end but looking back, we're incredibly fortunate to have had such a great run and such strong support from our fans," wrote Bungie on its forum.

"Halo 2 has been at or near the top of the Xbox Live charts for original games since it launched over five years ago.  We're extremely thankful to everyone who has played, enjoyed and supported Halo 2 over Xbox Live. We've had some great fun together, including far too many humpday losses to even recount."

With the service closing down, fans are now speculating that original Xbox games that still enjoy a dedicated online fanbase may be remade or released for the Xbox 360, or that online features such as maps and levels could appear as DLC for current Halo games.

With the switch off looming, Bungie left users with a rallying call for April 14. "Mark your calendars now - on April 14th let's all rally to go online for one last hoorah. One final farewell and one final opportunity for all of you to kick our asses at Halo 2."