Microsoft posted a notice to all Encarta users that the online and software versions of Microsoft Encarta will be discontinued this year.

October 31 2009 will mark the day that all MSN Encarta websites will be taken offline (other than the Japanese version which will run until the end of December 2009). Futhermore, Encarta will cease to be sold as a retail option in June 2009.

Microsoft states in their notice that the reason for the shutdown is that

“the category of traditional encyclopedias and reference material has changed. People today seek and consume information in considerably different ways than in years past.”

In other words, Wikipedia killed Encarta.

I must admit, I’m sad to see the Encarta franchise go. I still remember being incredibly young (under the age of 10) watching videos and listening to sound clips of wild animals on Encarta ’95. But purely based on wealth and range of information, Wikipedia had a much wider scope than Encarta ever could achieve.