Chances are that you’re either obsessed with Microsoft’s Internet versions of Hearts, Backgammon, Checkers and more—or completely oblivious that such games exist. Unfortunately for the fans, Microsoft’s online card games are going away entirely.
In a Community post, Microsoft has announced that its versions of Internet Backgammon, Checkers, Spades, Hearts, Reversi and MSN Go are indeed going away—if you’re still running Windows XP, they’ll vanish at the end of July. Support for the games on Windows 7 will end on January 22, 2020, the same day that support for Windows 7 officially ends.
“We truly appreciate all the time and passion you’ve put into Microsoft Internet Games,” Microsoft said in a blog post, reported earlier by Engadget. “This has been a great community. However, the time has come for us, along with our hardware and software partners, to invest our resources towards more recent technologies so that we can continue to deliver great new experiences.”
At the end of the support dates, the games will no longer be playable, Microsoft said. Microsoft didn’t explain why the games would have a longer shelf life on its newer operating systems.
Microsoft doesn’t offer versions of its card games on Windows 10 aside from an updated version of Solitaire. That’s sticking around, as is its premium ad-free subscription service, which costs $1.99 per month. You can also download versions of Mahjong, Jigsaw, Sudoku, Minesweeper, the Microsoft Treasure Hunt, and Microsoft Bingo in the App Store.
But if you want to play a game like Hearts online, you’ll need to search out another version, such as this one. Or you know, just get together with a group of friends with an old-fashioned deck of actual cards.