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Xbox Live To Drop Original Xbox Support This April

Better get those last few games of MechAssault out of the way now...

Microsoft has stated its intent to discontinue Xbox Live service on the original Xbox console on April 15, 2010. The announcement comes in the form of a blog post addressed to Live members from Xbox Live's general manager, Marc Whitten

This move will extend to Xbox 360 owners, as well, meaning that original Xbox games that run via the 360's backwards compatibility feature as well as digitally downloaded Xbox Originals will also stop functioning online on 4/15. Offline play in games for the original Xbox should continue without issue, so feel free to break out that copy of Tao Feng: Fist of the Lotus that I know you're sitting on.

The reasoning behind this move hasn't been completely spelled out, but the gist of it's right here:

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.

 
Whitten goes on to say that more details will be available "soon." Last year, Patrick Klepek over at G4 reported that continuing support for Halo 2--by far the most popular online game for the original Xbox--was preventing Microsoft from raising the limit on Xbox Live friend lists. Microsoft hasn't confirmed whether or not this is, in fact, the case. Currently, the list is capped at 100, as it has been since the service's launch back in 2002.

I don't think I've touched a game for the original Xbox since 2006. How about you?
Jeff Gerstmann on Google+

219 Comments

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LordAndrew

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Edited By LordAndrew
@Stinky51012 said:
" brb oh no! no xbox live? how will i meet 13 year old racists who insult my mother? "
On the Xbox 360. But you won't be able to meet 13 year old racists or play with friends on old Xbox games.
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CharleyTony

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Edited By CharleyTony

Im at least gonna play a last few rounds of what Original Xbox game I still have.  
You never know what might be the incentive MS gives to people who still played the old stuff so they won't complain...
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Maxism

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Edited By Maxism

Good riddance. The two people who were playing Halo 2 will be upset, but if it means that the service will improve, then I am all for it.
 
Oh, and it doesn't take long to get 100 friends. You would be surprised how many co-workers, friends, and family have an Xbox 360 and XBL. Maybe it is because of where I live, but it isn't difficult to get 100 friends if you are social. Plus it is made up of a lot of my old "gaming" friends back when I played WOW, and competitive Counter-Strike.

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Leeroi

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Edited By Leeroi

I always meant to fire up Star Wars Battlefront 2. I even bought the DLC for it. Oh well. I had a quick feeling of outrage at this announcement, but it subsided faster than I thought. XBox 1 has to be, at least for me and my friends, the most quickly abandoned console of our lives. We still play PS2, PS1, Gamecube, Dreamcast, and even SNES and NES titles on occasion, but I really can't remember the last XBOX 1 game I had a passing interest in, other than the one I previously mentioned, and that one more because of love of Star Wars than Xbox.

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Vintoks

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Edited By Vintoks

I hate how they are s*** canning backwards compatibility support these days. There were a lot of great and unique games on the original system (besides Halo 2). Bad move imo.

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EightBitShik

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Edited By EightBitShik

I haven't played an XBOX game in a long time. One of the reasons was the lack of support from Microsoft. I bought a few of those games and would of bought more had they come out with more titles.

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Doogie2K

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Edited By Doogie2K

After getting my 360 in 9/08, I tested the backwards compatibility by popping in Burnout 3.  After playing around and going, "Yup, that's Burnout 3 alright," I put it back and never touched it again.  Gave my console and old games to a friend in exchange for my current gaming PC.

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FlipperDesert

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Edited By FlipperDesert

Now they just need to add support for the Timesplitters games so I can actually care when they remove online support for them in April.

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Sekoku

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Edited By Sekoku

Them dropping service for a service I've paid for since that service launched = no $50/year for them.
 
The fact that I can't play Phantom Dust online with friends come April is enough for me to not support their services. 
 
At least if Steam/PSN/Wii shut-down servers, I didn't pay a dime for them. It's a fact of life, sun-rise/sun-set. But on XBL, I expect my $50/year to go to maintaining previous generations services. Too bad to find out that's wrong and I've given them $300 for nothing.

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WEGGLES

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Edited By WEGGLES

And nothing of value was lost.
 
Aside from a select few games, most servers are empty.
 
And if these empty servers are holding back stuff for new games get rid of them. Halo 2/Splinter Cell/Starwars BF are small prices to pay for new stuff. Out with the old in with the new.

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MaddProdigy

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Edited By MaddProdigy

WTF ORIGINAL XBOX STILL WORKS?

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MaddProdigy

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Edited By MaddProdigy
@chronicdog: hahaha lol
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SammydesinasNL

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Edited By SammydesinasNL

This makes me sad. My original xbox's lifespan is about six times that of an xbox 360.
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bkfountain

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Edited By bkfountain

It's funny how these original xbox games had a longer run than some current gen games. It's also weird to consider that in 10 years, it'll still be easier to find old genesis and NES games than it would be to buy and play some XBLA games and DLC. Many games now won't even run right without patches, which could be impossible to get if MS or Sony decides to cut off support on future consoles. 

 As for Halo 2, maybe MS can even port over Halo 1 and 2 as XBLA titles with modern Live support and achievements. People would buy those..I would.

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NikBMTH

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Edited By NikBMTH

Well, there goes my idea on buying an Xbox. -__-

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drwhat

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Edited By drwhat
@Fink said:
" You know what this means? No Halo 2, meaning friends lists limit will go up.  *Edit*  Might help if I read the article all the way before I post. Sorry, cool though  *Edit 2* Could you guys at Giantbomb do a server shutdown party like you did for the matrix and other MMOs? Everyone bust out your Xbox! "
They did server shutdown parties?
 
I bet Jeff already knows that Phantasy Star Universe is coming down in a bit. I wonder if we'll have some video entertainment from that.
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PatrickBurns

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Edited By PatrickBurns

i think its stupid why dont we email or call microsoft so we can keep the internet the xbox is no good without the internet i guess im going to have to sell it if we dont get microsoft to not do it

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rp108

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Edited By rp108
@WEGGLES said:
" And nothing of value was lost.  Aside from a select few games, most servers are empty.  And if these empty servers are holding back stuff for new games get rid of them. Halo 2/Splinter Cell/Starwars BF are small prices to pay for new stuff. Out with the old in with the new. "
Agree. Played those games on Xbox. Would rather have friends list increase and more servers on games that are being played online with bigger communities.