The Redmond Company has quietly announced that it will be shutting down the MSN Chat Webpage and the afferent services. While trying not to make the news, Microsoft only has posted this information on the actual site, addressing the MSN Chat users explicitly. And while the underlying reasons behind the decision were not officially made public by the Redmond Company, two speculative scenarios have risen to provide an explanation.

The Redmond Company has not delivered statistics regarding the MSN Chat's success, but it seems that audience ratings are at the basis of the shutdown decision. MSN Chat has never evolved into a social networking hotspot, or developed a consistent user community. Furthermore, speculations report that while the stagnant subscribers' pool has begun to decrease new sign-ups haven't geared up in order to fill in the user gap.

Downplaying the decision, Microsoft has posted an important notice on the MSN Chat: "MSN Chat will no longer be offered on or after October 18th. To communicate directly with your contacts, please download Windows Live Messenger." This is related to the additional reason for the MSN Chat's shutdown. With the launching of a plethora of services reunited under the Live umbrella, the Redmond Company is amputating the obsolete MSN Chat in order to breathe life into its newly born child.