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Xbox DEAD: Laying down the ban hammer
Almost one million gamers "gutted" at their 360s being booted off of Xbox LIVE, but do they deserve it?
Written by David Scammell, 12 November 2009
"You have failed to signed into Xbox LIVE and your console has been banned".
Let's be honest, having that message appear just as you're ready to settle down for the night with the Xbox and a few friends can't be particularly pleasant. Yet, those unfortunate enough to ever see such a message shouldn't expect any sympathy from myself.
In the wake of the Modern Warfare 2 leak, close to one million Xbox 360 consoles have reportedly been banned from Xbox LIVE as a result of playing pirated software on a modified console. The news even hit the mainstream media with the BBC running a pitiful story on the tale of one "completely gutted" banned Xbox 360 gamer, who compared receiving the ban notification with "telling someone their dog's just died". Really?
But (amongst plentiful other things) it was one part of the story that particularly riled me, when the ignorant 25 year old told the BBC, "It's always at the back of your head using pirate games you know there's that possibility but you haven't heard about it, there's been no warnings and you haven't heard it happen to anyone in the last two years."
I find it amazing that so many people were aware of the availability of pirated software (and Modern Warfare 2 in particular), yet utterly naive to the repercussions. Ignorance, or just playing dumb? It's irrelevant. Everyone caught playing on a modified console on Xbox LIVE accepted the consequences before they even signed up to the service.
360Zine Issue 37
For our latest Modern Warfare 2 coverage, click here to download 360Zine Issue 37 for free.As Section 15 of the Xbox LIVE Terms of Use says:
"The Service may only be accessed with an original Xbox, an Xbox 360 console, a personal computer, or other device authorized by us, or by logging into your account via Xbox.com. You agree that you are using only authorized software and hardware to access the Service, that your software and hardware have not been modified in any unauthorized way (e.g., through unauthorized repairs, unauthorized upgrades, or unauthorized downloads), 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.
"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."
How about that for receiving "no warning"?
And banning consoles access to Xbox LIVE isn't a recently introduced practice, either. Microsoft has been actively banning consoles from the service since 2007, telling consumers, "We have stated in the past that customers can only enjoy access to the Xbox Live community through the use of a genuine, unmodified, Xbox console and we will continue to enforce this rule to ensure the integrity of our service, the protection of our partners and the benefits of our users."
So thumbs up to Microsoft for standing up to the pirates, but unfortunately their chosen method isn't without fault. With the advent of the second hand market, it's incredibly easy for banned consoles to make their way back into the cycle and sold legitimately without either the seller or the buyer being aware of such a ban. And only then is the "shock" and "distraught" described by the uninformed pirate perfectly understandable.
Modern Warfare 2 coverage available in 360Zine Issue 37 - click here to download it for free!
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