Microsoft announced Friday that it would discontinue online service for all original Xbox games, even those playable on the Xbox 360 or available as a digital Xbox Originals download, on April 15.

Marc Whitten, general manager of Xbox Live, assured gamers in an open letter to the community that the decision was not “made lightly.” But, he said, the move is necessary to continue evolving the Xbox Live service.

Whitten cited the continued popularity of Halo 2 online play as one of the factors that made the decision difficult to make. But some believe the six-year-old game was holding back Xbox Live.

G4TV reported last year that Microsoft’s continued online support for Halo 2 was the reason that Xbox Live friend lists were capped at one hundred.

Of course, certain fans aren’t pleased about the development. Chadster30, a poster on Major Nelson’s blog, responded to the announcement with predictable rage. “WTF,” he wrote. “No more Halo 2, Star Wars Battlefront, Counterstrike and Rainbow Six. What the Hell Microsoft??? We pay you $60 bucks a month For LIVE to force us off the Original Games!!! I am pissed… WTF WTF.”

While being blatantly wrong about the price of Xbox Live (subscriptions cost $50 per year), the Chadster still has a point. While this move will likely result in new, interesting features for the Xbox Live community, it will most certainly break more than a few games that people are still playing.

But Microsoft is not likely to reverse the decision. With Natal coming out in the fall and the PlayStation 3 nipping at the Xbox 360’s heels, there’s no time to be romantic about the past.

Source: Wired Magazine

To be fair to Microsoft, they have been supporting the original Xbox since 2001. Most companies don't support things for half that time. If it's true that "Microsoft’s continued online support for Halo 2 was the reason that Xbox Live friend lists were capped at one hundred." that's another reason to get rid of it. If it is capped at 100 friends due to Halo 2, what else is being held back by support for the original Xbox?

The only reason i can think of right now for them doing this is because the upcoming things to the 360. so my best bet will be that they are gonna release big bundles of the 360 consoles for cheap (maybe when natal is out). if anything they want people to join the 360 so they earn more moneys.( in the long run).

The Guilty Gear community won't be happy, the only online GG is an original xbox game.

Originally Posted by Shaker

The Guilty Gear community won't be happy, the only online GG is an original xbox game.

Now i heard that why the fridge wont they release a GG game on the 360 with online play?

Because people will be pissed if all the current characters don't get in, and that's gonna take awhile.