Microsoft throws the ban hammer at over a million Xbox live accounts over modded hardware.

Posted at 2:22 pm November 11, 2009 by

xbox-lightsMicrosoft giving the ‘ol ban hammer to Xbox live users for various reasons is nothing new. Though banning over 1,000,000 users because they’re running hacked or modded hardware is certainly a deviation from the norm. The whole problem with modded 360′s is it allows end users to circumnavigate the many layers of DRM in use by the Xbox software. Obviously game developers have a problem with this as games are then easily copied and saved to the device sans payment. Apart from legal worries, having a modded Xbox actually brings about unlimited potential that Microsoft either refuses to build in themselves or is taking too long to do. Just go to any Xbox/gaming enthusiast site and scour the countless threads on Xbox modding. The units are incredibly capable.

Banning one million plus Xbox users because of hacked units is pretty dumb. You’re always going to have people going against the ToS, breaking the rules and the law. Nothing you do can stop it. I wouldn’t discount the fact that Microsoft was probably getting heat from game developers who were and still are upset about hacked ‘boxes have the powers to copy games. If you assume that the hacked units were all Xbox Live Gold members ($50/year), then that’s $50 million per year that Microsoft just cut from their budget. Then again, $50 million is like pocket change to a company as large as Microsoft so I don’t think it was that much of a con.

It’s also important to note that there isn’t a time line as to when these banned accounts can regain access. Anything from 1-day, 1-month, to a “life time” ban have been thrown around the interwebs leading many to panic. Getting a lifetime ban from hands down the best online gaming environment to date isn’t something any Red Bull fueled gamer is going to take lightly. For the sake of many gamers, I sure hope the ban doesn’t span millennia. Putting initial fears aside, banned users are probably looking at at least a couple months of downtime.

Through it all, there has to be a better way of protecting game developers other than simply banning hacked ‘boxes from accessing Live services. Punishing those who simply tinker with their gadgets is no reason to neuter them with a digital kill switch.

What do you think? Is Microsoft’s unleashing of the ban hammer justified or is there a better way to do it?

Cnet

{Image Source

   
  • John Q Public

    That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard! People will always get raped, murdered, robbed, assaulted! Let’s just not do anything about it! You think like a spoiled child. Grow up!

    • Mike

      Riiiiiight. I’m spoiled and childish because I raise a stink about someone (in this case Microsoft) who is over extending their powers in a sense by banning anyone with a modded xbox, regardless if they’ve used it for illegal/unethical means or not. While this particular example of a company thinking they can exercise whatever control they want on your property is more justified, it opens up a door for other situations down the road that are far more questionable. Are you in Microsoft’s pocket or one of some game developer?

      If I want to mod MY property because it brings extra functionality that some BS red tape or corporate hand holding prevent than more power to me and everyone who employs such tactics. You are the one that sounds childish, blindly missing the point and looking over that fact that I opened the question as to how Microsoft could go about it in a better way (read: I’m open to other ideas than a blanket ban — which is just plain stupid).

      SO in that sense, because I care about an end users’ rights more than I do some big corporate company who is only in it for themsevles I am childish. Get a life.

  • Pingback: Microsoft confirms modded Xbox hardware banned for life! « Gadgetsteria

  • Pingback: Gadgetsteria