MSN Messenger to shut down March 15

As announced last November, Microsoft is moving ahead with plans to discontinue Windows Live Messenger in 2013.

In an email to all 100 million-plus Messenger users the company announced that it will retire Messenger on March 15, after which customers will be required to switch over to Skype, which Microsoft purchased in 2011.

For over a decade, Messenger was hugely popular among many who use it to send quick messages through its instant messaging services. Users were able to share files, have voice conversation and make use of webcams.

However, Microsoft feels that Live Messenger has seen its heyday and will be retired in favor of Skype Messenger. The company said that anyone who has an account with Live Messenger will be asked to consolidate their present account with an existing or new Skype account.

One reason for discontinuing Live Messenger may be due to its decreasing user membership. Reports indicate that in 2010, Live Messenger was reported to have 300 million users. By 2012, this number declined to 100 million users.

Skype, on the other hand, has seen its users increase to 280 million. By consolidating Live Messenger users into the Skype ecosystem, Microsoft can realize significant savings by not having to run Live Messenger and by shifting the load over to Skype, reports indicate.

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25 Comments

  1. Tommy
    March 2, 2013

    I am going to yahoo messenger and so are my friend if MSN gets shut down we refuse to be forced to use a rubbish app (Skype)

  2. Tommy
    March 2, 2013

    8-O that is horrible MSN was like a tradition :( Skype is horrible I took it off and out MSN back on the reason why everyone stopped using MSN is when Microsoft kept playing around with it an changing it to windows live messenger MSN would still be more popular then Skype if Microsoft just left things alone an stopped playing around with things all the time no one can keep up

  3. Chat
    January 12, 2013

    Today’s technology involve key components as social interaction and mobility. Skype has made a big effort to build out various mobile apps, easily leaving Messenger in the dust. Personally, I’ve always used an IM aggregator as Pidgin, Digsby, Jitsi, avoiding multiple instant messenger client installations while having the same/missing Skype/MSN Msngr features. I truly think it’s a great move on Microsoft’s behalf and wish them luck.

  4. Anonymous
    January 11, 2013

    I understand the need to move on.. but has anyone here actually used Skype’s IM service? It’s awful.

    MSN is exactly what I need and have been using it for years. I don’t understand why we’re being punished.

  5. Straight Talk
    January 10, 2013

    I agree with Microsoft.Since Microsoft moved from the original MSN Messenger to Windows Live Messenger I stopped using it. The original MSN Messenger was much more use friendly.

  6. Future
    January 10, 2013

    Smart move by Microsoft (y)

  7. graduate
    January 10, 2013

    wow… I even forgot about messenger lol!

  8. jeffrey
    January 9, 2013

    Fb put windows live outa buisness

  9. strange
    January 9, 2013

    i cannot tell u wen was the last time i signed on msn. i thought they foget my account. today i geettin letter. boi look joke eh ben face book u come out. thats where the action is.

  10. January 9, 2013

    hahahahahaha wat about hi 5

  11. hmmmmm
    January 9, 2013

    bon j i doe even remember wen last i sign onto my messanger. lol….ppl does still use dat nuh?

  12. BabyGirl!
    January 9, 2013

    Eneways it still have facebook,twitter && skype…!..! :-D

  13. Burgess Xavier
    January 9, 2013

    Good Consolidation Move..

  14. Matriculation
    January 9, 2013

    Whilst change is inevitable in life, not all changes are for the better. In the internet age the constant change in the social media formats is starting to be a cause for concern. A certain level of consistency is also necessary in life to prevent life going round in circles. People can’t keep on hopping from one system to another.

    Adieu MSM it was good whilst it lasted, hope life Hotmail does not follow in your footsteps.

  15. January 9, 2013

    MEN!!,,AM NOT HAPPY ABOUT THIS AT ALL,I LOVED MY MESSANGER,I DO HOPE IT COMES BACK SOON..FACEBOOK IS GROWING REALLY BORING.

  16. CONCERNED
    January 9, 2013

    In time to come……LOL LOL

  17. Kryptonite
    January 9, 2013

    poor messanger facebook kill you soon will be your turn facebook.

  18. likeit
    January 9, 2013

    Facebook/ Twitter take over! oh well

    • diamond girl
      January 9, 2013

      that was exactly what i was going to say! i even forget i have a msn account. best move they could make.

  19. wortless
    January 9, 2013

    makes no sense

    • Progressive
      January 9, 2013

      Makes perfect sense, MSN is in the same bracket as Internet Explorer, obsolete.

      • trolol
        January 9, 2013

        Have respect It’s Internet explorer that paved the way for those crappy new browsers like Google chrome. I do not use Internet explorer but still have admiration for it. Just know all those new sites you going on have advance tracking and large of data on all you individuals that visit the site. In the future you will have no privacy and that is why the sites are considered ‘obsolete’ because they cannot do these. Enjoy your FB, Instagram and twitter.

  20. Ashamed
    January 9, 2013

    Msn brings me back in the day.. when it was the in-thing to have a cool emoticon. Oh well….

    • Out of the Box
      January 9, 2013

      Learn to deal with change. Nothing lasts forever and even Skype Messenger will change or evolve into something new in time to come.

      Once there are creative minds out there expect innovation and the life changes it brings with it.

    • BiGmE
      January 9, 2013

      Change is good we do not understand it sometimes but it is always good and MSN was dying for a while I skip msn for about 3 year now and has been using skype. Much better chat/voip service than msn.

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