Original Xbox Live to close in April
"Difficult" decision to pull service despite significant number of users
Microsoft has announced that it will discontinue Xbox Live for the original Xbox on April 15.
The move will end online play for the old console, as well as online play for Xbox games playable on the Xbox 360.
"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," said Marc Whitten, general manager of Xbox Live.
Whitten acknowledged that games such as Halo 2 still have a significant user base over Xbox Live, saying it will be "difficult" seeing the game come to an end.
"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 videogames. 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."
He added that Xbox Live users will receive more information on the switch soon, with the move enabling new features and services for Xbox Live for the Xbox 360.
"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 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 email account over the coming weeks for more details and opportunities. We view you as a partner in this process."