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Halo 2's Last Day Online: Xbox Live for Original Xbox Shuts Down

by Michael Small | April 14, 2010 at 12:23 pm

2635 views | 10 Recommendations | 2 comments

Halo 2, Original Xbox Live Service Goes Offline

It's a sad day for gamers still clinging to their original Xboxes, as Microsoft is officially taking the original Xbox Live offline on April 15th at the stroke of midnight.

Users still playing games like Halo 2 and Battlefield for the original console will no longer be be able to play those games online.

As Microsoft promised earlier in the year, at midnight tonight the plug will be pulled on the world's first truly successful online gaming service for consoles, which first set up shop on the original Xbox all the way back in 2002.

While Xbox Live itself will obviously live on for the Xbox 360, the games that got the service its start - those for the original Xbox - will tomorrow no longer be supported, nor will online play via the original Xbox console.

Halo 2's Last Day on Xbox Live

But it's no all sad news for those still playing on the last-generation machine. In honor of the original Xbox going offline, Bungie -- creators of the popular Halo franchise -- are holding a special promotion for those looking to get in a few more Halo 2 matches.

Bungie employees will be online playing Halo 2 from 6-11 p.m. pacific time, and will be giving away Halo: Reach flare and other prizes. Gamers won't have to play with Team Bungie to be eligible for prizes.

It's a nice send-off for the first successful online service, and a tribute to the game that made online gaming on a console mainstream. So dust off your copy of Halo 2 for one last dance, and reconnect with the game that shaped the online gaming industry for years to come.

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Jordan Yerman

at 12:25 on April 14th, 2010

I guess it won't respawn.

ella santiago (not verified)

at 04:24 on April 15th, 2010

How sad..though i don't play halo 2, and other similar games, It's very sad to know things like this happens. It's sad to think that other business opportunities and companies have to crash down and do "<a href="www.businessforsale.cc" target="_new">Business For Sale</a> Strategy" just to profit a little to give to its minions and aid the needs of the company in terms of its financial status.Hope that this things would end up sooner and have more positive news to read.