Microsoft Performs Mass Xbox Console Banning

ModderMan · 10-30-2009, 10:30 PM

Here's a Halloween surprise you probably weren't expecting.

by Jim Reilly

US, October 30, 2009 - Wake up this morning only to find your Xbox Live account has been banned? That's probably because you had a modded console and were playing illegal, pirated copies of games.

"We have taken action against a small percentage of consoles that have been modified to play pirated game discs," a Microsoft spokesperson told IGN. "In line with our commitment to combat piracy and support safer and more secure gameplay for the more than 20 million members of our Xbox LIVE community, we are suspending these modded consoles from Xbox LIVE."

Though Microsoft wouldn't confirm specifically when these bannings took place, a quick look over on its official forums suggest it's been going on over the course of this past week. Plenty of users have created threads on the technical feedback forum reporting of having their Xbox 360 console banned.

Microsoft also added this is a standing policy and isn't tied to any specific time-frame.

"All consumers should know that piracy is illegal and that modifying their Xbox 360 console to play pirated discs violates the Xbox LIVE terms of use, will void their warranty and result in a ban from Xbox LIVE," the spokesperson added. "The health of the video game business depends on customers paying for the genuine products and services they receive from manufacturers, retailers, and the third parties that support them."

thucncao · 10-31-2009, 01:28 AM

That must really suck for the peolpe who bought a yearly onine live thing. My only question is how do they know that its pirated or not?

DumbSubmarine · 10-31-2009, 09:40 AM

People at Kotatu seem to think that MS know when a disc is pirated when it "communicates" with it. I have no clue about 360's, but it sounds like a good theory. I mean, wasn't Nin banning users running Ocarina on Mario Kart?

Gradlock07 · 10-31-2009, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DumbSubmarine

People at Kotatu seem to think that MS know when a disc is pirated when it "communicates" with it. I have no clue about 360's, but it sounds like a good theory. I mean, wasn't Nin banning users running Ocarina on Mario Kart?

That's what I've heard so far. I can't get technical about it but from what I understand the system does something like a hash sig check on the disc and/or hardware and if there is some type of modification on the console or game then it reports the problem.

I have a modded 360 with iXtreme and it's fine by me since I don't play online all too often so I wouldn't miss it. There are programs that are supposed to patch the game backups to run in "stealth mode" but MS is no dummy and I'm sure they'll find a way to detect that as well.

I agree it would suck for those users who just paid for their yearly Xbox Live but what do you expect if you're modding your console?

dragroxas · 11-01-2009, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by storeman_uk

Could somebody please translate

Google Translate is your Friend :P

Colombia81er · 11-02-2009, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thucncao

That must really suck for the peolpe who bought a yearly onine live thing. My only question is how do they know that its pirated or not?

Well they just banned the console not the XBL gamertags, means they could go buy a new 360 and use there game saves.

Now 1 week prior they banned people for playing Forza3 and Borderlands early

they got there Gamer Tag banned so they lost all there DLC and the rest of there membership.

Gradlock07 · 11-02-2009, 09:29 AM

To my understanding there are some services or ways to get your console unbanned unofficially, don't know how or how well that works.

Only banning the console? I thought they would automatically ban the XBL account as well. Doesn't make too much sense, in my pov to ban the console since the gamer would just go and get another console, but from M$ pov that is better for them to just ban the console and force them to shell out more cash for a new or used console, an under the table fine if you will.

The guys playing games before they are released aren't too bright. The 360 stores the game info in a cache that cannot be deleted and gets sent to MS the moment you connect to the internet, so when they do connect they can see this right away. I don't know if this also sends the date the game was first played but it would be safe to assume so.

Just be patient. Is it really worth it to play a game a week before everyone else just to get banned?

Colombia81er · 11-02-2009, 10:07 AM

Well some get there console or there gamertag, but i agree its not worth playing a game 1 week early to get banned !!

ModderMan · 11-02-2009, 11:29 AM

many have been banned that have never played a pre-released game on their flash modded console also...so don't just go by that

nanaya · 11-02-2009, 02:41 PM

I honestly don't know which is better now. A ps3 cannot pirate games at all, but it has free PSN, but the hecksbawcks 360 can pirate games, but no online play if u choose to pirate...