Xbox LIVE being discontinued for Original Xbox consoles and games

I wanted to let you know that on April 15, 2010 Microsoft will discontinue Xbox LIVE service for original Xbox consoles and games, including Xbox 1 games playable on Xbox 360. Our first step in this process will be to turn off auto-renewals for those members who only use Xbox LIVE on a v1 Xbox. While I can’t comment on the specifics, this change will allow us to continue evolving the LIVE service with new features and experiences that fully harness the power of Xbox 360 and the Xbox LIVE community. We did not make this decision lightly, but after careful consideration and review we realize that this decision will allow us unprecedented flexibility for future features.

http://majornelson.com/archive/2010/...and-games.aspx

A Letter from Marc Whitten: Discontinuation of Xbox LIVE for Original Xbox Games

Dear Xbox LIVE Members,

On April 15 we will discontinue the Xbox LIVE service for original Xbox consoles and games, including Xbox v1 games playable on Xbox 360 and Xbox Originals. I want to start by saying this isn’t a decision we made lightly, but after careful consideration, it is clear this will provide the greatest benefit to the Xbox LIVE community.

Seven years ago we laid out our vision for the connected console when we launched Xbox LIVE. We believed then that the power of the Internet to connect people would revolutionize living room entertainment. It started with amazing multiplayer games, and we’ve since seen that bet pay off again and again with the launches of Xbox 360, Marketplace, Netflix and powerful social features like Facebook, Twitter and Last.fm. None of this would have been possible without the success of LIVE as a multiplayer gaming network.

There’s no greater example of the power of the Xbox LIVE community than the “Halo” franchise. “Halo 2” has had an amazing run on LIVE, with a dedicated community more than five years after launch and well into the next generation of consoles. It has fundamentally changed the way we play video games. And while it’s difficult to see that run come to an end, the “Halo” franchise continues to act as the benchmark for multiplayer gaming in this generation, with “Halo 3,” “Halo 3: ODST” and soon “Halo: Reach” on Xbox 360.

Your Xbox LIVE community has grown to 23 million strong. And as we look down the road, we’ll continue to evolve the service with features and experiences that harness the full power of Xbox 360. 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.

We’ll share more details soon, but in the meantime I want to assure you that the best is yet to come for Xbox LIVE. I believe we’ll look back on 2010 as a landmark year in gaming and home entertainment, and I couldn’t be more excited about what we have in store with “Project Natal” and LIVE. The LIVE community is the driving force behind everything we do, and it’s because of the community that ground-breaking experiences on Xbox continue to be possible.

See you on LIVE,
Marc Whitten

http://gamerscoreblog.com/press/arch.../05/gh789.aspx

I am in San Francisco today where we are hosting our X10 media event. This invite only event gives our media friends the chance to hear some news, get updates on some of the upcoming games and (more importantly) get hands on time with some of the titles.



Here, in no specific order, are 10 things you need to know coming out of X10 today:

* The Halo Reach multiplayer beta will kick off on May 3. You will be able to access the beta via the Halo 3: ODST game disc.
* Dead Rising 2 will release in North America on Aug. 31, Japan on Sept. 2 and Europe on Sept. 3.
* Dead Rising: CASE ZERO an exclusive download only on Xbox LIVE, will launch prior to the full game and provide a playable prologue that bridges the story between the two titles.
* Alan Wake will launch May 18 in North America and May 21 in Europe. Players can pre-order the title to receive the Bright Falls Bonus Pack, which includes exclusive content like Avatar gear, an Xbox LIVE theme, and a “making of” video.
* The Xbox 360 Final Fantasy XIII Special Edition Bundle will release starting March 9 for $399, and include a 250GB Hard Drive, two Wireless Controllers, exclusive downloadable content and a Standard Edition copy of the game.
* Toy Soldiers will kick off the Xbox LIVE Arcade Block Party on March 3
* Perfect Dark, Scrap Metal and Game Room will launch this March as a part of the Xbox LIVE Arcade Block Party.
* Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction will release at retailers starting April 13 in North America, April 16 in the United Kingdom, and April 28 in Japan.
* Lost Planet 2 will launch in North America and Europe on May 18.
* Fable III will be available this holiday.