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Xbox Live To Drop Original Xbox Support This April
Added by Jeff Gerstmann on Feb. 5, 2010
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?
Filed under : Xbox
218 Comments
Fink on Feb. 5, 2010
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!
Turbo_Toaster on Feb. 5, 2010
Let's get some rounds of MechAssault in oh god
Captain_Insano on Feb. 5, 2010
Presumably there should be little uproar about this at it is a sensible move....this is the internet however so lets see how it pans out.
Pepsiman on Feb. 5, 2010
Kind of surprised this didn't already happen, to be honest. I guess I had just figured it was something that had taken place without much fanfare or anything. Ah well. That being said, I'm curious if the LAN tunneling services for Xbox games that support LAN-based multiplayer is still up and running. If so, I imagine that would probably work okay as a substitute for those still wanting to get together online for some Halo 2 online or something.
JJWeatherman online on Feb. 5, 2010
I still have a bunch of Xbox Original games but they are almost all better single-player experiences. The only exception may be crimson skies, but dude, it's been years since I have payed that game.
piropeople13 on Feb. 5, 2010
I haven't been able to play some of my favorite original xbox games online since I signed in for the first time on my 360 and it arbitrarily prevented me from going online on my old xbox.  Combine that with the crappy backwards compatibility with the 360 (less than half of my original xbox games are supported), and you have the sad fact that the original xbox live have essentially been discontinued for many people for years.
Vito_Raliffe online on Feb. 5, 2010
If people are going to start having over 100 friends, they REALLY need to give us more control over Notifications. I am interested in messages and achievements, but I absolutely could not care less about someone signing on unless we are going to be playing together (which is what a message is for).
Will on Feb. 5, 2010
That sucks, stilled played a few originals on my 360 >_<
Bones8677 on Feb. 5, 2010
Oh boo...
 
It makes sense though. 
 
I just replayed Halo a few months back.
Holographic_Charizard on Feb. 5, 2010
I don't ever play Halo 2 online anymore, but it was nice knowing in the back of my mind that I could at anytime. oh well.
Arjuna on Feb. 5, 2010
I played Psychonauts as a backwards compatible game...  but I will not miss any online play, or support...  This is great news!  I'm tired of having to filter through my friends list to figure out who stays and who goes...  Everyone should be able to stay!!!
BurningStarIV on Feb. 5, 2010
That is exciting. Not that I really have the problem of not having enough room for all my friends...
However it is sad to hear that they are killing the support for games, no matter how old they may be. There is that part of me that wants to yell "Get with the program and just play Halo 3!" and I suppose that is a fairly rational thought. I guess its just sad to see them shut down a game that I spent so much time playing. Ahhh, Memories...
Snapstacle on Feb. 5, 2010
XBC and Xlink Kai, use 'em. 
 
Seriously, because XBL is a P2P network, most games that support online on Xbox have a LAN option anyway, with voice chat and everything. 
 
Also, let's start a list of worthwhile games on Xbox 1 that have never been updated, I'll throw in Phantom Dust.
Fink on Feb. 5, 2010
@Will: I wounder if that counts? Would playing Xbox 1 games on a 360 still work? Since you are on a 360 environment, which is most likely comminicating differently. 
hayngeek on Feb. 5, 2010
The only online I'll miss is Halo 2. But there's always LAN.
dankempster on Feb. 5, 2010
I when I first read the title of this, I misread it and somehow construed that the 360's backwards compatibility was being dropped. Then I read the article, and breathed a sigh of relief. I still have the first Fable and more of Morrowind to play!
Trident on Feb. 5, 2010
@Fink: It says that the Xbox 360 will be affected in the same way the original xbox is. i.e. No live support for backwards compatible Xbox games.
JJOR64 on Feb. 5, 2010
I guess I better play some Hyper Street Fighter 2 and 3rd Strike online before it dies.
SCOOTMAN on Feb. 5, 2010
well those Halo 2 players are gonna be real upset. Though the only original Xbox game I would play is KOTOR and i can get that off Steam now.
Btw : do any of you have 100 Xbox Live friends?
Atomic_Tangerine on Feb. 5, 2010
I don't get why they have to shut down a P2P network... I mean, I'm sure there are real reasons and stuff, but as an angry consumer at home, I don't care about the reasons things don't work goldarnit! But yeah... I haven't played any original Xbox game online in a real long time. Still, I pay $50 a month and if I want to play a round of Chaos Theory years after the game came out, I should be able to!
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