Gamespot is reporting that Microsoft is mass-banning individuals who are playing illegal copies of Halo Reach on Xbox Live. This report is based on a Microsoft policy document obtained by website MaxConsole. The story began earlier this month when a group of modders managed to grab an early version of Bungie's last Halo game via Microsoft's virtual marketplace. While this group of modders did not intend to release the game (allegedly), it ultimately ended up on file-sharing sites.
Now Microsoft is cleaning the barn; anyone caught playing the unauthorized version of the game will be banned. The language in the policy document is bad news for anyone that gets banned, because apparently it is permanent - though whether that ban is specific to Gamertag or system is not known. The most important thing from the document is the following:
"During your suspension, you will not be able to log into Xbox Live. Your Xbox Live privileges will not be reinstated. Customer Support is not able to modify or provide any further details about your suspension," the document reads.
Microsoft's director of policy and enforcement for Xbox Live, Stephen Toulouse, commented on the bans via Twitter:
"As with all unauthorized play on Xbox Live, anyone playing any unauthorized title runs the risk of account permaban and console. Remember, legit store bought copy runs no risk of ban. Key word: UNAUTHORIZED. We have ways of knowing."
Comments
Re: Unauthorized Halo: Reach Players Get Permabanned
Why did Microsoft even load the game software on the XBOX live Marketplace? Course if you going to go the distance to solder a parallel port onto your XBOX to play the game, why would you go online? That is just asking for perma-ban...playing a game before release. It ain't rocket science
Re: Unauthorized Halo: Reach Players Get Permabanned
My synmpathy meter for them dipped below zero.
All this will do is give pro DRM idiots more ammo.
Re: Unauthorized Halo: Reach Players Get Permabanned
Stupid kids they are if they're trying to played a pirated xbox game on xbox live. Ofcourse they will get banned.
http://www.magicinkgaming.com/
Re: Unauthorized Halo: Reach Players Get Permabanned
Its a total empty threat and they know it.
The game that was leaked can only be played on JTAG'ed systems. Those systems can't play online AT ALL ALREADY!
So they may as well say that they'll also tell them that they'll charge them a million dollars, because they'll never catch them as long as they CANT GO ONLINE!
Re: Unauthorized Halo: Reach Players Get Permabanned
Good riddance. These parasites knew full well what they were doing and deserve the console permabans.
I just hope MS has some kind of system in place to deal with it when these banned consoles end up sold to Gamestop or whatever, and whoever buys it used gets screwed. Of course, maybe Gamestop checks to make sure the consoles aren't banned before accepting them, I dunno.
Re: Unauthorized Halo: Reach Players Get Permabanned
According to Microsoft there is no way to unban a console. So anyone who buys a banned console is screwed if they want to play online.
E. Zachary Knight
Oklahoma City Chapter of the ECA
http://www.theeca.com/chapters_oklahoma
E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
OK Game Devs
Random Tower
Re: Unauthorized Halo: Reach Players Get Permabanned
Indeed, MS has some sort of technology that can somehow detect a mod Xbox (I don't know how that tech work). But whatever, the people that play Halo Reach illegally got what they deserve.
Re: Unauthorized Halo: Reach Players Get Permabanned
Buying a used 360 has many risks, and, TBH, this is the smallest one.
I mean, buying a NEW 360 is playing on borrowed time.
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With the first link, the chain is forged.
Re: Unauthorized Halo: Reach Players Get Permabanned
"We have ways of knowing?"
What kind of numbskull would think otherwise? Seriously? Who could think they could go online like that and get away with it?
I'm surprised Microsoft feels such a warning is necessary.
Re: Unauthorized Halo: Reach Players Get Permabanned
Basically every high school skiddie that thinks they're a hacker because they used IRC to download an executable.
Pwnage of Empires
Re: Unauthorized Halo: Reach Players Get Permabanned
In fairness, that probably qualifies under the media's definition of "hacker". Which, lest we forget, includes anyone who knows where Sarah Palin went to high school.