Today is April 14th, the day before taxes are due and also the last day of the original
Xbox Live's life. Kotaku
reports that after today Microsoft will be pulling the plug on the old service, which has been running since 2002. You won't be able to access Live with your old Xbox anymore, and original Xbox titles like
Battlefield 2,
Crimson Skies and of course,
Halo 2 won't have online multiplayer anymore.
This move lets Microsoft shake off some of the old restrictions that Live has been saddled with, like the 100 friend limit, but it makes me wonder if there could have been a more inclusive, elegant solution. I'm sure there are Halo 2 players who prefer that multiplayer to Halo 3, just like some Smash Bros players swear by Melee and turn their noses up a Brawl. It's just sad to see the game that pioneered the service get shut down after a comparatively short time--only about six years. If the fans make enough noise--and there sure are a lot of them--maybe we'll see Halo 2 resurrected on 360 Live at some point.
It also makes you wonder, what will happen to the current incarnation of Live when the 360's inevitable successor take the throne? Will there be such a transition in the future? Indeed all good things must come to an end, but hopefully Microsoft is planning farther ahead this time. In the meantime, live it up while you can--you have one day of classic Xbox Live to enjoy.
