MANILA, Philippines – Microsoft previously announced that its trusty Messenger service would ride off into the sunset in the first quarter of 2013, but they never specified when this sunsetting would take place.

Today, however, we have a date for Messenger’s final day in the sun, and it’s a little over two months away.

The Next Web reports that Microsoft has begun rolling out emails to its Messenger users announcing March 15 as the formal date for the retiring of the Messenger service and its reformation under Skype.

As the email excerpt notes, “On 15th March 2013 we are retiring the existing Messenger service globally (except for mainland China where Messenger will continue to be available) and bringing the great features of Messenger and Skype together.”

The email continues with instructions for downloading Skype and moving all your information over from Messenger to Skype. – Rappler.com