Aced Poker Closes, Players Migrated to Carbon

Aced Poker Closes, Players Migrated to Carbon
6/30/2014
http://winsgame.com/poker

Aced Poker Shuts Down Player Accounts
In what has become something of a recurring trend over the past few years, the Merge Gaming Network will be losing another one of its skins.

Effective on Tuesday July 1, Aced Poker will be closing its doors for good. Player accounts on Aced will be migrated to Merge’s flagship brand and Aced sister site Carbon Poker.

Full contents of the notice here.

Aced Poker originally launched on Merge in 2009. Soon after it would be acquired by Carbon Poker.

The skin would receive a notable volume boost in late-2012 when Carbon shut down PDC Poker and transferred the defunct skin’s entire player database over to Aced.

Since, Aced has held its own against Merge’s top dog, despite Carbon receiving the bulk of the Merge Gaming Network’s marketing efforts. But it appears that as of now, Aced Poker’s faithful will have to content themselves with a new, albeit largely familiar, home.

What Aced Poker players need to know

The next time players log on to the Aced Poker client, a software update will automatically upgrade their existing Aced branded software to Carbon’s.

Considering that the two skins harness virtually identical software, the transition is expected to occur seamlessly. Further simplifying matters, Carbon and Aced both made use of the recently implemented Jazette cashier.

Migrated players will be able to log onto Carbon with their existing Aced Poker credentials (username and password). Cash balances, VIP points status and accumulated loyalty points should also transition over intact.

Perhaps the only notable change between the two skins is that Carbon limits the amount of tournament tables a player can have open at one time, whereas Aced reportedly did not.

Other than that, grinders can expect a vastly similar poker playing experience.

Possible reasons behind Aced Poker closing

While no official explanation was given as to why Merge decided to get rid of another skin, several factors were likely at play.

Carbon, unlike Aced, features sports betting and a full racebook, as well as an online casino. By presenting poker players with alternative gambling options, Carbon simply has a higher financial upside than Aced ever could.

In other words, Merge Gaming is banking on poker players “degening” their winnings at the track or on a hand of Blackjack.

Along the same lines, and most players on the Two Plus Two forums agree, it didn’t make any fiscal sense to support two nearly interchangeable skins. Due to the extra programming and server maintenance efforts required to keep both sites functioning properly, it was more practical to consolidate Aced Poker’s player base into Carbon. Call it smart business practices.

And now that Merge has begun to pull out of states where online poker is regulated, it’s conceivable that the merger is part of an elongated exit strategy, that will eventually see the network leave the United States – either voluntarily or by force – entirely over the next several years.

History repeats itself

Over the course of the past 18 months, Merge Gaming has shut down several of its skins, with others, such as the highly vaulted PokerHost leaving Merge for the newly formed Equity Poker Network.

Other skins that are no longer with Merge include FeltStars, Black Chip Poker, Hero Poker and RPM Poker.

Merge Gaming is currently the 16th largest gaming network in the world, only trailing Bodog as the largest network still accepting US players.

Remaining skins on the Merge Gaming Network include Carbon Poker, PlayersOnly, SuperBook and Sportsbook.