[x3sphere]

Microsoft has an unpleasant surprise in store for Xbox 360 modders this Halloween. The company confirmed today that it has taken action against consoles modified to play pirated game discs.

As usual, the bans are hitting in droves and do not appear to be linked to any particular drive firmware. Additionally, we've caught wind of reports indicating that modified boxes -- even those that have never accessed Live before -- are still at risk. If your unit remains unaffected, consider this a terse warning, as the banhammer is unpredictable and from what we've seen, can strike at any moment.

The official statement, per a Microsoft spokesperson, is as follows:

We have taken action against a small percentage of consoles that have been modified to play pirated game discs. 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.

Microsoft Performs Mass Xbox Console Banning [IGN]

[`Rage`]

OWNED!

Microsoft - 1
Illegal Gamers - 0

It's about time they did this. For Sony and the PSP, piracy greatly hurt the future of the PSP, companies wouldn't port or make games to be put on the PSP because of the MASSIVE piracy, which ultimately hurt all of the gamers for the PSP, paying and otherwise.

For one, this HELPS the PAYING Xbox 360 gamer, like me. The reason new games come out is because WE PAY FOR THEM! Isn't that something?.. If you pay for a game, and it generates a lot of money, they make ANOTHER better game. Who woulda thunk!?

1) The consumer pays for a game, and enjoys the game.
2) The people who made the game get a fat check, and makes another, better game.
3) The consumer buys another game, and enjoys it.
4) Cycle repeats, we get PROGRESSIVE quality entertainment, game makers get paid more, and make better games.

Capitalism is great, ain't it?

[cory1492]

I'd agree with you and M$, but, in this case I just have to laugh. Banning from live isn't going to magically increase game sales... at best banning from live sells another console to be modded, at worst it prevents someone from making the only purchase they would have - live content.

To me it is questionable as to exactly what they are achieving trying to pass this off as "protecting Xbox LIVE community."

[skparasite]

@`Rage`

Wtf? You act like this has never happened before, but pirates have always dealt with console bans from Xbox LIVE.

It's not like it stops ANYONE from pirating. Because I know MANY people who have more than one Xbox 360 or have bought multiples.

As it blocks the CONSOLE, you can effectively buy a RROD'd system, repair it, and just use your hard drive on that one. You can effectively buy a new 360 for 50-100 bucks this way since it is pretty easy to fix them.

Even then, I don't even USE LIVE. And I bet a lot of pirates are okay with giving it up. Such a sacrifice to make to play games for free or early, eh?

Besides, as stated above. If they need access to LIVE (to play online or sync their gamer tag, I don't know if they can get DLC this way), they just put their hard drive into another 360 that's not banned! Whoop!

So really, what /did/ Microsoft do?

Nothing, that's what.

[Juliet]

This is one of the reasons why Xbox has the best online service.

[KingPepper]

Its not so much the piracy that Micro$oft is against, its the people who are able to hack the games so they can cheat online, and so ruin other peoples experience, that is being blocked here,obviously if it stops piracy as well then good for them, may the Ban Hammer, drop on these thieving bastards, and make our online experience fair to all of us.

[detroid]

The pirate policy is "fighting for fun", well thats what I always hear. Games now a days are too expensive to buy and people pay about £30-£40 ($60-$80) for just 6 hours unless you play sport games and GTA which take some people months to finish or get tired of but the main point is that Microsoft, whether they like it or not, will always experience more piracy on thier games. Hackers will always be hackers. If microsoft want to place thier stupid so-called ban (which I think won't take place), they should go ahead but mind you, there will be at least 5 hackers who will learn from this new system on banning and begin to override it which hacking is based on. It's just a basic fact and we all know that.

[undone]

Those fools at micro$oft clearly don't realise that they are only trowing more fuel on the fire. There is no way to fully stop pirates, myself being one. I will continue to torrent games and play them, even though I have been banned. I knew the risks, and now I'm paying the price, which is really only a minor annoyance. All I'll have to do is get another console and mod it, not that difficult of a process really. Another thing is that in my opinion all the people who buy games and are strongly anti-pirate, are simply jealous of our skillz!

[detroid]

@ undone, you said a mouthful there mate! Its true, I torrent and I use mIRC to download all my games. Its pointless buying games that will only last you a few hours, thereafter you depose of it leaving it for dust to bite on! Those who buy games only buy it just for "Snob Appeal" meaning to just show off their money that they can afford it. We can too! but why bother? when you can get it free and avoid the new so-called security crisis on PC games that no longer allows you to be the true owner of the game(EA STARTED IT!). as for me I will still do wat undone mentioned!

[MenaceInc]

Originally Posted by detroid

The pirate policy is "fighting for fun", well thats what I always hear. Games now a days are too expensive to buy and people pay about £30-£40 ($60-$80) for just 6 hours unless you play sport games and GTA which take some people months to finish or get tired of but the main point is that Microsoft, whether they like it or not, will always experience more piracy on thier games. Hackers will always be hackers. If microsoft want to place thier stupid so-called ban (which I think won't take place), they should go ahead but mind you, there will be at least 5 hackers who will learn from this new system on banning and begin to override it which hacking is based on. It's just a basic fact and we all know that.

Paying between £30 and £40 for a game is fine really if you do your research and even buy games that are pre-owned or wait for deals from retail stores or digital stores.

Originally Posted by undone

Those fools at micro$oft clearly don't realise that they are only trowing more fuel on the fire. There is no way to fully stop pirates, myself being one. I will continue to torrent games and play them, even though I have been banned. I knew the risks, and now I'm paying the price, which is really only a minor annoyance. All I'll have to do is get another console and mod it, not that difficult of a process really. Another thing is that in my opinion all the people who buy games and are strongly anti-pirate, are simply jealous of our skillz!

Being strongly anti-piracy myself, I can assure you that I am not jealous of your 'skillz'. There are those out there that use modded 360s to play online and use hacks and cheats in multiplayer games which gives them an unfair advantage and ruins the experiance for everyone in the game.

Originally Posted by detroid

@ undone, you said a mouthful there mate! Its true, I torrent and I use mIRC to download all my games. Its pointless buying games that will only last you a few hours, thereafter you depose of it leaving it for dust to bite on! Those who buy games only buy it just for "Snob Appeal" meaning to just show off their money that they can afford it. We can too! but why bother? when you can get it free and avoid the new so-called security crisis on PC games that no longer allows you to be the true owner of the game(EA STARTED IT!). as for me I will still do wat undone mentioned!

"Snob Appeal"? Hardly so. It's about supporting the companies that make the games that you enjoy. If they don't make any money then they won't make anymore games, simple as. As for the issue of games only lasting a few hours...that depends on the game. I can still boot up my copy of Super Mario World on the SNES every so often and have fun playing through it.


The truth is that all of the people who have the same mindset as Detroid and Undone is what is wrong with the games industry. There are the pirates who feel that they are entitled to anything and everything for free without rewarding those who created that which they consume. Even then they often criticise and fob off the makers. Even within the PSP scene itself, there are people doing the same thing.