Microsoft Reiterates LIVE Ban Policy
Microsoft has restated its policy on piracy after recently bringing down the ban hammer on terms violators.
A new wave of bannings occurred at the end of October and Microsoft has reiterated its zero tolerance approach to piracy again today.
“As you may have read online, we’ve been actively banning consoles from Xbox LIVE that have been modified to play pirated games,” wrote Xbox LIVE’s Major Nelson.
“ Our commitment to combat piracy and support safer and more secure gameplay for the more than 20 million members of our Xbox LIVE community remains a top priority. 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 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. This would also be a good time to remind you that the warranty on an Xbox 360 console is not transferrable and if you purchase a used console that has been previously banned, you will not be able to connect to Xbox LIVE. “
Do you know anyone who’s been banned from LIVE? Tell us why in the comments section below.
User comments
What about shipping? (for not download only games)
Any half decent company will then set aside part of that 30 million for the warchest of the next game they're making, and that other amount will be for solvency and unexpected things.
Devs need multiple comps, an OS to run said comps, a building to work in, power to run the comps, tools on the comp to create a game with (say licensing something like the Unreal 3 engine). Then there are things like payroll, taxes, insurance, lunch breaks, overtime, marketing, legal fees etc etc etc.
We're not talking a flash game here. There's a reason why Triple A action games are becoming more and more expensive to make.
Heck, WoW alone, to name a MMO instead, cost around 200 million to make, and then there's subsequently the cost for running support, servers etc. Yes, they still make more than a tidy sum of it. But again, capitalist system. They're not in it for the free hugs and cookies.
As for the whole banning thing. Big companies like that often end up looking like big governmental organizations. Lot of red tape, not a lot of smart thinking, least not on the right levels. Banning both the console and gamer tags would make more sense.
As for the loss of live memberships, I consider it akin to the security deposit you give to a landlord when leasing a place. You get kicked out for violating the lease and/or damaging the place? Guess what, you're out of the deposit as well. *shrugs*
The funny thing is about running a business is that in order to make a profit you have to charge more for your product than it cost you to make.
If the developers of the games spend 30 million making a game they can charge 60 bucks a pop. They can charge more. I bet you anything if games cost a hundred bucks a piece people would still buy them and the people making the games know this but they find the highest amount they can charge without turning people away. That isn't stealing. That isn't shady. That's called running a profitable business.
"MS is the only true legalized monopoly"
Do you know what the word monopoly even means? They need the companies that produce the games to stay in business so they keep selling consoles. It's in their best interest to keep pirates away from their consoles so the game creators keep making money and then more people buy the consoles which makes them happy.
"I promise you a class action lawsuit will come out of this due to the financial impact of robbing thousands of people out of Live memberships(which they will not refund) and DLC that is forfeited when the console is banned."
Who is going to sue? You? You'd rather spend the cash on three consoles so you don't have to play legit....what would your case be? Or anyones case that gets banned. That is the risk you run when you clicked "I Agree" to their terms of service. Didn't read the whole thing? That's your fault. Not Microsofts.
I agree they have to do something but giving there customers a lifetime ban is not a good business move at all.
I'm very surprised that Microsoft have no appeals process and/or a more relaxed 3 strikes and your out policy, I think issuing instant ban is possibly breaking the Sale of Goods Act (in the UK)
It's interesting to see which way this would go if it went to court.
Yes and no, the console is banned but not unusable just on their network. The gamer tag should be banned as well imo.
And here's the lawsuit...