Microsoft swings banhammer at Halo 4 pirates

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Microsoft swings banhammer at Halo 4 pirates

UPDATE: Microsoft has issued Eurogamer the following statement on the Halo 4 Xbox Live bans.

"We are aware of isolated cases in which Halo 4 content has been propped on the web and are working closely with our security teams and law enforcement to address the situation immediately.

"Consumers should be aware that piracy is illegal and we take vigorous action against illegal activity related to our products and services. Playing pirated copies of games, such as Halo 4, is a violation of the Xbox Live Terms of Use and will result in enforcement action, such as account and console bans."

ORIGINAL STORY: Microsoft is issuing permanent Xbox Live bans to those it finds have pirated Halo 4 from Xbox Live.

Users on Reddit report Microsoft's Live enforcement team is sending emails notifying pirates that they've been permanently booted off Xbox Live for "prerelease title play" (thanks, carma!).

Over the weekend Halo 4 leaked onto torrent sites for use on hacked Xbox 360 consoles. Microsoft is investigating and taking down gameplay spoiler videos from YouTube.

For Microsoft to know you've been naughty and pirated the game, you'll have had your hacked Xbox 360 connected to Xbox Live.

"Your Xbox Live privileges will not be reinstated," reads the email. We've asked Microsoft for comment.

Source: Eurogamer

[Elliot B.]

Microsoft swings banhammer at Halo 4 pirates

UPDATE: Microsoft has issued Eurogamer the following statement on the Halo 4 Xbox Live bans.

"We are aware of isolated cases in which Halo 4 content has been propped on the web and are working closely with our security teams and law enforcement to address the situation immediately.

"Consumers should be aware that piracy is illegal and we take vigorous action against illegal activity related to our products and services. Playing pirated copies of games, such as Halo 4, is a violation of the Xbox Live Terms of Use and will result in enforcement action, such as account and console bans."

ORIGINAL STORY: Microsoft is issuing permanent Xbox Live bans to those it finds have pirated Halo 4 from Xbox Live.

Users on Reddit report Microsoft's Live enforcement team is sending emails notifying pirates that they've been permanently booted off Xbox Live for "prerelease title play" (thanks, carma!).

Over the weekend Halo 4 leaked onto torrent sites for use on hacked Xbox 360 consoles. Microsoft is investigating and taking down gameplay spoiler videos from YouTube.

For Microsoft to know you've been naughty and pirated the game, you'll have had your hacked Xbox 360 connected to Xbox Live.

"Your Xbox Live privileges will not be reinstated," reads the email. We've asked Microsoft for comment.

<screenshot snipped>

Source: Eurogamer

Whu-TUSH!

[HawkMan]

and next we'll have forums rushed with whining 15 years olds complaining that they got banned falsely and have never done anything illegal on their xboxes.

[Lord Method Man]

and next we'll have forums rushed with whining 15 years olds complaining that they got banned falsely and have never done anything illegal on their xboxes.

Well the "I preordered it and it got delivered early" excuse is already making the rounds.

[lnmnky]

What about preview copies etc for magazines? How do they differentiate? As I've played a couple of games early due to helping out on reviews on crappy little websites/newsletters with MS issued discs.

[HawkMan]

What about preview copies etc for magazines? How do they differentiate? As I've played a couple of games early due to helping out on reviews on crappy little websites/newsletters with MS issued discs.

Not that many, and the journalist can just call them and tell them he is one. they probably have some sort of tag on journalist accounts anyway, just for this kind of thing.

[+ir0nw0lf Subscriber²]

Thor himself would be jealous of the swiftness that Microsoft throws their banhammer around. Are these bans just on the account or the console itself? Wondering if there will be a flood of freshly banned boxes, if they ban them.