Microsoft has always been dodgy about why Xbox Live is unable to support more than 100 friends. Why should a next-gen console be limited by something so simple as a friend cap? Well, we finally have the answer thanks to G4′s Patrick Klepek. The reason is simple: Halo 2.

Allow me to explain. Halo 2 is the most played original Xbox title and, despite being “obsolete”, still supports a healthy online community. This means that Microsoft needs to keep supporting the title by keeping the Xbox Live infrastructure intact from its first days on the last-gen console. So, for those of you whose friend list is currently bursting at the seams, what’s the solution?

Well, there isn’t one. If there was a kind of work-around, Microsoft would have implemented it ages ago. However, they have said that if there is a vocal outcry from people, they may consider dropping Halo 2 in support of a larger friends list. So, if you’d like to see that happen, please comment on the G4 article (and here, while you’re at it) saying so or, better still, mail Microsoft directly and maybe we’ll see that friend cap disappear in the near future.

[Via: G4]