Microsoft bans up to 1 million Xbox Live users

**Valigarmander** · 11-11-2009, 08:02 PM

Microsoft bans up to 1 million Xbox Live users - Games - msnbc.com

Quote:

Anywhere between an estimated 600,000 and 1 million players who use Microsoft's Xbox Live gaming service will be cut off from the service because they have modified their game consoles or played games that were illegally downloaded from file-sharing sites, according to the company.

"All consumers should know that piracy is illegal and that modifying their Xbox 360 console violates the Xbox Live terms of use, will void their warranty and result in a ban from Xbox Live," Microsoft said in a statement Wednesday.

The timing of the statement coincides with the release this week of "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2," a highly anticipated Xbox 360 game. The game's release means big sales — but also sales of pirated copies, which are illegal.

There are more than 20 million players worldwide who use the Xbox Live gaming service, according to Microsoft. The service lets gamers play each other online as well as buy and download games.

"It's fair for people to feel that they should be able to do whatever they want with something that they have bought, but it's also fair for Microsoft to do everything it can to reduce the risk of piracy," said Dave Taylor, publishing director for GamerZines.com.

"In some cases though, modding (modifying) is done to allow a bigger hard drive, and given that the supplied hard drives are still very small comparative to what is available on the market, and expensive also, you can see why some people are going to be very angry."

However, he said, "the biggest problem in banning modded consoles — and this gets missed by most people — is that it is the console itself that gets banned. So many of these consoles get sold secondhand, even sometimes unwittingly by stores (that) accept them as trade-ins, to people who assume they have just bought a functioning console. And while it might technically boot up, the console is blacklisted and therefore pretty much useless to them."

Microsoft, he said, "needs to find a way to address this, or else it risks annoying the modders who make up 1 percent of their audience and the second-hand purchasers."

The company "needs to do a better job of explaining to people why modding consoles isn't acceptable, and needs to find a way to help people tricked into purchasing blacklisted consoles," said Taylor.

In its Xbox Live and Windows games' "Terms of Use" agreement, as of September 2008, Microsoft says that players are to use "only authorized software and hardware to access the Service," and that they agree that their software and hardware "have not been modified in any unauthorized way ... and that we have the right to send data, applications or other content to any software or hardware that you are using to access the Service for the express purpose of detecting an unauthorized modification."

In addition, "any attempt to disassemble, decompile, create derivative works of, reverse engineer, modify, further sublicense, distribute, or use for other purposes the Service, any game, application, or other content available or accessible through the Service, or any hardware or software associated with the Service or with an original Xbox or Xbox 360 console is strictly prohibited and may result in cancellation of your account and/or your ability to access the Service, and the pursuit of other legal remedies by Microsoft."

Some sites have warned about gamers tinkering with their Xboxes.

"Do not mod your console, you will be wasting money on something that will get you punished," warns one site, WikiHow in an article about "How to avoid getting banned from Xbox Live."

I REALLY HATE POKEMON! · 11-11-2009, 08:09 PM

That is ridiculous. These companies shouldn't have the right to so easily ban someone.

I know a person who was banned from PSN for a month because someone "reported" him.

**Loot** · 11-11-2009, 08:23 PM

Pretty sure the best modders have their own online service.

Lurch1982 · 11-12-2009, 01:25 AM

I have absolutely no problems with this. They're nicer than some companies that just fry/brick your electronics (Sat/cable company pirate box purge/apple's jailbroken iPhones). They prevent you from going on live.

***Saria Dragon of the Rain Wilds*** · 11-12-2009, 01:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I REALLY HATE POKEMON!

That is ridiculous. These companies shouldn't have the right to so easily ban someone.

You don't have to agree to their terms of service when you get Live. But by doing so, you agree that they have the right to ban you for breaking your agreement.

CodenameV · 11-12-2009, 10:50 AM

Exactly. You agreed to this from the get-go, so there's no complaining now.

Glux · 11-12-2009, 11:16 AM

*applauds*
Good for them!

Bomby · 11-12-2009, 11:32 AM

"Contract says you must not eat from the garden. You eat from the garden anyway."

The original Fail.

Metal Mario · 11-12-2009, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CodenameV

Exactly. You agreed to this from the get-go, so there's no complaining now.

Actually, most people just skipped all the reading and clicked on the "I Agree" button.

CodenameV · 11-12-2009, 11:39 AM

^Their fault. Even without knowing it, they agreed to the terms of use.

Jesus · 11-12-2009, 12:20 PM

^^Yeah you checked the box that says "I have read and agree to the terms of service". You said you had read it. If you hadn't that is your problem. I'm glad there are steps taken to reduce piracy.

Metal Mario · 11-12-2009, 01:28 PM

I agree with y'all. I'm just sayin' what people did.

Lurch1982 · 11-12-2009, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Metal Mario

Actually, most people just skipped all the reading and clicked on the "I Agree" button.

Point being?

Glux · 11-12-2009, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lurch1982

Point being?

Point being that the people have no right to complain because they broke the Terms of Service, and they can't say they didn't know because it's right there in the Terms of Service which they didn't bother to read.

I REALLY HATE POKEMON! · 11-12-2009, 03:00 PM

And if you don't agree to those terms nobody read, you can't use what you bought and payed for. And that's not fair.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saria Dragon of the Rain Wilds

You don't have to agree to their terms of service when you get Live.

Yeah you do. Or you don't get Live

**Deku Trii** · 11-12-2009, 04:06 PM

If I break certain laws in the US, they remove me from society and I don't get to use anything I bought and paid for. And that's not even an arrangmenet I was given a chance to reject.

More to the point, you didn't pay for the right to use it unconditionally. You misunderstood what you were paying for if you think otherwise.

I REALLY HATE POKEMON! · 11-12-2009, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deku Trii

If I break certain laws in the US, they remove me from society and I don't get to use anything I bought and paid for. And that's not even an arrangmenet I was given a chance to reject.

That's a little different in terms of scope, but I see what you're saying. Anyway, an agreement and a law aren't really inter-changeable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deku Trii

More to the point, you didn't pay for the right to use it unconditionally. You misunderstood what you were paying for if you think otherwise.

Then the salesperson and commercials forced down our throats should display this forced agreement prior to the exchange of sweat and blood for conditional goods.

Lurch1982 · 11-12-2009, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I REALLY HATE POKEMON!

And if you don't agree to those terms nobody read, you can't use what you bought and payed for. And that's not fair.

Tough ****.

This isn't like they're bricking consoles for no reason. They're banning modded consoles.

**Deku Trii** · 11-12-2009, 04:50 PM

I've never paid for Live, so I'm not entirely sure how it works, but is there no way to view the TOS before spending money on it? If not, if you refuse to click "I accept" can you get your money back?

1-up Salesman · 11-12-2009, 04:57 PM

Yeah, hackaz. You should of read it. You learned your lesson. SCREW IT

11-11-2009, 08:09 PM	#2
I REALLY HATE POKEMON! Goku lives on the Sun Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: California, U.S.A Gender: Posts: 12,543 Thanks: 1,247 Thanked 263 Times in 222 Posts Blog Entries: 1	That is ridiculous. These companies shouldn't have the right to so easily ban someone. I know a person who was banned from PSN for a month because someone "reported" him.

11-11-2009, 08:23 PM	#3
Loot whelp I'm a bloody moron Join Date: May 2001 Location: LEGITIMATE BUSINESS Gender: Posts: 12,524 Thanks: 226 Thanked 1,168 Times in 612 Posts	Pretty sure the best modders have their own online service.

11-12-2009, 01:25 AM	#4
Lurch1982 Senior Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: DenCo Gender: Posts: 9,850 Thanks: 127 Thanked 365 Times in 192 Posts	I have absolutely no problems with this. They're nicer than some companies that just fry/brick your electronics (Sat/cable company pirate box purge/apple's jailbroken iPhones). They prevent you from going on live.

11-12-2009, 10:50 AM	#6
CodenameV Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Mudkipland, CA Gender: Posts: 215 Thanks: 43 Thanked 6 Times in 6 Posts	Exactly. You agreed to this from the get-go, so there's no complaining now.

11-12-2009, 11:16 AM	#7
Glux Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Home Gender: Posts: 7,042 Thanks: 612 Thanked 354 Times in 231 Posts Blog Entries: 3	applauds Good for them!

11-12-2009, 11:32 AM	#8
Bomby Spirit, they're gone! Spirit, they've vanished! Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Badger State Gender: Posts: 19,187 Thanks: 482 Thanked 1,384 Times in 812 Posts Blog Entries: 5	"Contract says you must not eat from the garden. You eat from the garden anyway." The original Fail.

11-12-2009, 11:39 AM	#10
CodenameV Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Mudkipland, CA Gender: Posts: 215 Thanks: 43 Thanked 6 Times in 6 Posts	^Their fault. Even without knowing it, they agreed to the terms of use.

11-12-2009, 12:20 PM	#11
Jesus Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2000 Gender: Posts: 5,613 Thanks: 104 Thanked 139 Times in 101 Posts Blog Entries: 3	^^Yeah you checked the box that says "I have read and agree to the terms of service". You said you had read it. If you hadn't that is your problem. I'm glad there are steps taken to reduce piracy.

11-12-2009, 01:28 PM	#12
Metal Mario Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Gender: Posts: 16,435 Thanks: 72 Thanked 190 Times in 127 Posts	I agree with y'all. I'm just sayin' what people did.

11-12-2009, 04:06 PM	#16
Deku Trii PP&R Mod Current Events Mod Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Texas Gender: Posts: 8,930 Thanks: 490 Thanked 1,063 Times in 559 Posts	If I break certain laws in the US, they remove me from society and I don't get to use anything I bought and paid for. And that's not even an arrangmenet I was given a chance to reject. More to the point, you didn't pay for the right to use it unconditionally. You misunderstood what you were paying for if you think otherwise.

11-12-2009, 04:50 PM	#19
Deku Trii PP&R Mod Current Events Mod Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Texas Gender: Posts: 8,930 Thanks: 490 Thanked 1,063 Times in 559 Posts	I've never paid for Live, so I'm not entirely sure how it works, but is there no way to view the TOS before spending money on it? If not, if you refuse to click "I accept" can you get your money back?

11-12-2009, 04:57 PM	#20
1-up Salesman Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Your bedroom. I love it here! Gender: Posts: 3,861 Thanks: 2,071 Thanked 228 Times in 180 Posts Blog Entries: 9	Yeah, hackaz. You should of read it. You learned your lesson. SCREW IT