Microsoft cut off over half a million gamers for 'piracy'

[Jason]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8354166.stm

Microsoft raised a few eyebrows in the gaming world today by banning a rumoured 600,000 users from Xbox Live for use of consoles modded to play unauthorised or copied games.
Microsoft were quiet when asked about the methods used, but did confirm that they had verified all accounts were using unauthorised equipment before terminating the accounts. It is believed that users received a message simply stating 'You have been banned from Xbox Live' upon attempting to login.

Thoughts? Personally, I'm all for it. If you pirate software, don't be surprised when it comes back to bite you on the ass. No doubt there's going to be plenty of nerdrage and probably a lawsuit or two, but as far as I can see, they've broken the license agreement, so they're pretty much screwed.

[BannanoPeel]

Definitely, if somebody is obviously doing something wrong/ illegal then they deserve to be punished for it.

[Konrad]

Oh I can hear the "I didn't do anything" coming from a mile away.
Yes you did asshole, Microsoft wouldn't risk banning 600,000 users without being DEAD CERTAIN they have a good reason. Otherwise this number would have been three times the size.

[MyNameDidntFit]

Hahahahahhaahahahahahaha.

This is why piracy is better on PC: there's no hardware evidence :D

[Jason]

My personal conspiracy theory is that Microsoft and Activision had something to do with the dodgy copy of CoD:MW2 that was leaked and traced all the Xboxes using that version to confirm there was piracy involved.

One thing that has always irritated the hell out of me is the 'I only modded it to play backups of my games' excuse.

Bull. Shit.

I've been playing games on CD format since the sega Mega-CD, and I can count on one hand the number of games I've lost due to a damaged CD. The simple fact is, if you look after your games, you're incredibly unlikely to damage them to the point where they no longer function. If you do, most Blockbuster stores now run a CD repair service for a nominal fee. There is NO need to own backup copies of your games. None at all.

[Landy]

I hear 'craigslist' is getting filled up by people that are trying to sell their banned consoles. It was a smart and well though through move by MS. Guess once what those ex-pirates will buy again this Christmas.

[Impulse]

I got some friends that might be in that group. Ah well, serves them right stealing the games.

[Landy]

I got some friends that might be in that group. Ah well, serves them right stealing the games.

As far as i know, the games are still functional, just not online?

[Impulse]

I know, but they still have to buy another XBox

[Jason]

Yeah - the consoles still function, but as far as any online capability goes, they're completely 'bricked'.
I just feel sorry for any poor sap who buys a used 360 in the coming months only to find it's been banned from Live.

[Astonix]

The console won't be banned from Live? Just that gamertag surely?

[Jason]

No, apparently the entire console is banned from Live. I guess they ban according to MAC code or the console's serial number. They were pretty secretive about how they did it, so I'd imagine another round of cut-offs will happen at some point in the future.

[Astonix]

Imo, that's not the best idea i've ever heard =/ Like you said, there's just going to be a load of people buying banned Xboxs now and there's nothing they can do about it.

Maybe they should think about banning their email address instead, or banning that IP address.

[Jason]

Problem is, then all the pirates have to do is register a new XBL account.

Unfortunately there will be one or two people buying disabled Xboxes, but anyone doing their homework should be aware of this kind of thing. It's been well reported.

I think that whilst there are obvious downsides, this is the best way of stopping piracy. Most modded Xboxes are used to play copied games, and if you take them out of the loop, you take a big chunk of the piracy out. I'm pretty sure that this would be covered by the XBL terms of service too.

At the end of the day, if you mod your console in order to play pirated games, you can't complain if you get busted.

[Astonix]

hm, fair enough point. I guess it's also a win win for Microsoft because if people hear about this then they'll be more tempted to buy a brand new Xbox instead.

[Jason]

Exactly. Not only have they dealt a pretty good shot to the pirates, they've also pretty much guaranteed the sale of another 500,000 Xboxes.

Gotta hand it to them, they do know how to make money.

[Astonix]

It might be amazing for themselves, but they'll probably get many complaints down the line from people buying these banned Xboxs and then their popularity could suffer due to it.

[Jason]

Unfortunately, it's not Microsoft's problem. It will most likely be an issue to be raised with whoever they bought the second-hand console off. I can't see it affecting Microsoft's popularity hugely - I mean, we're talking about a console that has been inarguably the least reliable gaming system EVER released, and it still has millions and millions of users who love it to pieces, and it continues to sell by the bucketload.

[CemeteryGates]

I have a a few friends who have had pirate chips installed and buy some pirate games. I constantly tell them it'll end up frying their consoles, but they never listen.

Of them was having serious problems with his Xbox, it got fried and he said that was because Microsoft was monitoring him, though I doubted it.
I referred him to a guy who repairs consoles, and he spent about the equivalent to $80 USD getting it fixed. I imagine he's one of those 600,000. He must be kicking himself, but it serves him right. :p

[dimples]

They got exactly what they deserved. Come on! The games don't cost that much. For heavens sake, if you don't have the money to buy a game when it's just out, wait a while. You won't die if you can't play something the instant it's out :D I never do. I know Max Payne 3 is coming and Splinter Cell is coming out soon, and I know I will have to wait a while before I will buy either of them. Because I won't pay a full price for a game, when I know in a month or two, I can get it 15-20€ cheaper.

[RyanScarp]

They definitely got what they deserved. If you're going to pirate games, do it on a PC for Christs sake.

[Steph]

Yeah I remember last year when they banned around double that figure for having modded xbox's from accessing XboxLive. One of my work mates being under that category.

I will admit that yeah when I was younger, roughly 9-12 or something my parents got my PS1 chipped so it would play copied discs and they could buy me the games much cheaper, but we only ended up buying roughly 4 games pirated for it haha and the rest of them were genuine.
They got my PS2 modded aswell. I was totally gutted about that 'cause it took off the clean looking PS2 lid and logo and replaced it with this rough, shitty black piece of plastic with a lid that lifted up ontop of it. And it's really started to deteriorate.
I still have held onto all the original parts maybe on a subconscious hope someone will rectify this disaster =|

I can't see it affecting Microsoft's popularity hugely - I mean, we're talking about a console that has been inarguably the least reliable gaming system EVER released, and it still has millions and millions of users who love it to pieces, and it continues to sell by the bucketload.
Couldn't have said it better.
That is very, very true.

It seems ironic in the way you have worded it though.

[MyNameDidntFit]

They definitely got what they deserved. If you're going to pirate games, do it on a PC for Christs sake.
Haha, certainly. If you have to physically do stuff to pirate, it's not worth it :p