Microsoft has already discontinued Microsoft Works — Microsoft Corporation In an interview by Bloomberg Businessweek, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer stated that it will be the end of working with works files. This was on April 16th. They have announced that from 2016, they have removed a great advantage of Microsoft Works. This move can be done. I think it's time to move to open source. Also, I am glad they will be abandoning this software. What will the end result be for Microsoft Works after 2015? From Microsoft and the end of Works Microsoft has ceased all development and distribution of the Microsoft Access database file. Access is the database software used on The Office 365 suite of applications, as well as Microsoft Office 2010. At the end of January 2015, all Microsoft Access databases are to be discontinued. Access is in use by over 150 million customers.