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Microsoft bans 1 million Xbox Live Players !
Kaynos1972
Member Posts: 2,316
Interesting read, you might think twice before modding your xbox to read pirated version of games....
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/11/12/cnet.xbox.live.ban/index.html
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Comments
I think that is fantastic. Anyone that uses pirated software ought to be punished.
Good. They shouldnt have modded thier stuff. They knew they werent supposed to
There are no positive aspects to torrenting and piracy, just criminal activity.
Glad to see Microsoft take strong action against the offenders.
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
I thought this was fair enough of Xbox. The only real reason to mod is so you can play illegal copies of games, and with most of those games made by smaller development companies, who are struggling like hell at the moment, this might make some people think twice and keep some of game designers in work.
"When people don't know much about something, they tend to fill in the blanks the way they want them to be filled in. They are almost always disappointed." - Will Wright
Not only pirated software users were banned. I use my modded 360 mainly as a media station, watching movies, listening to music and so forth. There are also several other reasons to mod your Xbox, for example, fan noise and cheap, accessible storage space. I do not think you can argue that the 360 hard disks are not a complete rip off.
Well, I do call my modded box the homebrew box, I have to admit I have had a few pirated games on it as well. Having typed that, I do have to point out that I spend over 2k $ on official games a year, so I allow myself to try some titles that I'm not so sure about on my modded Xbox.
I have an other 360 that I play games on, simple as that.
Awesome.
The only thing that bugs me about this is that Microsoft had inclination to do it on their own accord until they where bullied by a major third party developer.
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Software pirates ruin everything. Look what they did to PC gaming. I had to buy a god damn console just to keep playing Madden Nfl because EA refused to release it on PC due to theft.
Its lame.
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Waiting For: Earthrise, Perpetuum
where it is good to see microsoft do something it also seems moot cuz if they are modding then they know how to use a computer id think and would just setup or join a modded server though im straight pc anyway so xbox live means nothing to me.
I think that is great news for us 360 gamers. We are much better off with out these uber nerds in game, as they wreck online gameplay in so many ways. I've always been pleased with Xbox on how they ban accounts for ruining the game for others. I still hear a ton of racist slurs and obnoxious profanity when playing and really wish they would crack down harder on that issue.
I hope these are perma bans and not just PR to keep their developers happy.
What is amazing is check around the various chat sites and tons are actually trying to defend this illegal activity and saying things like i hope Microsoft loses millions in customers.These people are like a low life desease,this is why i hope they are perma bans.BTW they don't just mod to play illegal copies ,they also mod to cheat,they ruin the games ,the rl economy and make gaming more expsensive to the legit buyers/players.
I would bet some of the top games lose millions+,there is a ton of pirating.I remember when Spore was just being released,they said thee wasmore pirated copies out there than actual sales and Spore was number 2 on the list behind WOW.
Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.
Not only pirated software users were banned. I use my modded 360 mainly as a media station, watching movies, listening to music and so forth. There are also several other reasons to mod your Xbox, for example, fan noise and cheap, accessible storage space. I do not think you can argue that the 360 hard disks are not a complete rip off.
Well, I do call my modded box the homebrew box, I have to admit I have had a few pirated games on it as well. Having typed that, I do have to point out that I spend over 2k $ on official games a year, so I allow myself to try some titles that I'm not so sure about on my modded Xbox.
I have an other 360 that I play games on, simple as that.
Unfortunately you can be just "a little bit pregnant". Whether you steal one game or 100, you are still a thief. (though it might make a difference between a felony and a lessor charge in the eyes of the law)
No doubt those movies you watch, or the songs you listen to on your 360 are all paid for by you as well.
Sure, modding your hardware for things like fan noise are no big deal, and you might have gotten swept up in the net, but overall I think they were after pirates and they got mostly pirates.
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
Yarrr I been shipwrecked!
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They are permanent bans. Grats to MS
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8356621.stm
The boxes have been banned. The accounts are still valid.
I wish gamer tags, ip addresses and the boxes were getting banned.
I had a friend that had his Xbox ban and it modded but only so he can play backs of the games he own and now he is forced to buy a new system if he wants to play online again. Plus modding your system isn't illegal. You own the hardware. it would be like saying modding your computer is illegal. what is Illegal is playing games you don't own. I think alot of those people that got ban where people trying to play the new Call of Duty too early. It time stamps the date on when you completed a challenge in a game and then when you go online it sends it threw Xbox live and they see you are playing a game that isn't out yet.
Not only pirated software users were banned. I use my modded 360 mainly as a media station, watching movies, listening to music and so forth. There are also several other reasons to mod your Xbox, for example, fan noise and cheap, accessible storage space. I do not think you can argue that the 360 hard disks are not a complete rip off.
Well, I do call my modded box the homebrew box, I have to admit I have had a few pirated games on it as well. Having typed that, I do have to point out that I spend over 2k $ on official games a year, so I allow myself to try some titles that I'm not so sure about on my modded Xbox.
I have an other 360 that I play games on, simple as that.
Unfortunately you can be just "a little bit pregnant". Whether you steal one game or 100, you are still a thief. (though it might make a difference between a felony and a lessor charge in the eyes of the law)
No doubt those movies you watch, or the songs you listen to on your 360 are all paid for by you as well.
Sure, modding your hardware for things like fan noise are no big deal, and you might have gotten swept up in the net, but overall I think they were after pirates and they got mostly pirates.
It's not stealing, You're not taking anything away. You're just making a copy of it. Taking a picture of a painting is not stealing the painting.
I see a lot of people complaining about the piracy. I wonder how many of those people have ever downloaded a song off the internet.
The complaint it seems is that downloading a game of the internet is bad because the developer won't get paid for it. So if I borrow a game from a friend instead of buying it, I won't be paying for the game and thus the developer won't get paid either.
Is that bad too?
I kno a work around i did and it works fine! nice try microsoft
"Outside the dream world, life can be harsh--even cruel, but it is life"
This entire post is incorrect. Microsoft can enforce whatever rules it likes on XBox Live. Modding your console isn't illegal, true, but using a modded console on XBox Live is. And as for being banned for trying to play an unreleased game early? I think not. That's a problem between the publisher and the distributor.
This is the same arguement I will often make. Someone will tell me how bad it is to pirate, and that I am stealing. I say that I am not stealing, as they dont lose anything. They then say "Would you go into a store, and steal a TV?" No, of course not. That had a cost to produce, ship out, and sell. The company actually paid money to make that individual item. The retailer had to purchase it, and hopes to make a profit on it. If I steal it, they are actually out a certain amount of money. However, when I pirate something, it costs them nothing. They did not need to produce the disc and box for me, they did not need to ship it, and they do not need to give me support. They also do not need to expend server expenses on me, because I cannot use their online gameplay.
Then, many people will then go on to say "Well, they WOULD have made money if you had bought it. Instead, they made nothing, and you got the product. They have now not earned anything, whereas they would have if you could not have pirated it." 99% of the time false, sorry. Nearly every game and movie I have pirated I would have NEVER bought. I was curious about it, so I pirated it, played it for 2 hours, and uninstalled it. I download a movie, watch it, and say "Wow, this was crap. Glad I didn't buy it".
However, if the game is good, I will usually buy it. I know, everyone says that. But it is true. Because I am a nice guy, and want to give them money? No. Because I want to play it online. In nearly all games these days, the main game takes place online. The Call of Duties are good games, but when it is only a single player game... Still good, but VERY short. Little to do. Borderlands is a cool game. But running through it alone time and time again? Not that fun. Grouping to destroy things? Fun.
This entire post is incorrect. Microsoft can enforce whatever rules it likes on XBox Live. Modding your console isn't illegal, true, but using a modded console on XBox Live is. And as for being banned for trying to play an unreleased game early? I think not. That's a problem between the publisher and the distributor.
Does this mean if play a X-live game on windows and have a new vid card microsoft says its a illegal.
I had xbox repaired with a new hard drive different size. illegal?
not any different, modding the hard ware does nothing. modding the software on the other hand, is different. but i think hes talking about the hardware part, and is not illegal. he could put a 2TB.. in there and not be banned unless microsoft is just gay now, well, ok they have always been a little dumb.
This is the same arguement I will often make. Someone will tell me how bad it is to pirate, and that I am stealing. I say that I am not stealing, as they dont lose anything. They then say "Would you go into a store, and steal a TV?" No, of course not. That had a cost to produce, ship out, and sell. The company actually paid money to make that individual item. The retailer had to purchase it, and hopes to make a profit on it. If I steal it, they are actually out a certain amount of money. However, when I pirate something, it costs them nothing. They did not need to produce the disc and box for me, they did not need to ship it, and they do not need to give me support. They also do not need to expend server expenses on me, because I cannot use their online gameplay.
Then, many people will then go on to say "Well, they WOULD have made money if you had bought it. Instead, they made nothing, and you got the product. They have now not earned anything, whereas they would have if you could not have pirated it." 99% of the time false, sorry. Nearly every game and movie I have pirated I would have NEVER bought. I was curious about it, so I pirated it, played it for 2 hours, and uninstalled it. I download a movie, watch it, and say "Wow, this was crap. Glad I didn't buy it".
However, if the game is good, I will usually buy it. I know, everyone says that. But it is true. Because I am a nice guy, and want to give them money? No. Because I want to play it online. In nearly all games these days, the main game takes place online. The Call of Duties are good games, but when it is only a single player game... Still good, but VERY short. Little to do. Borderlands is a cool game. But running through it alone time and time again? Not that fun. Grouping to destroy things? Fun.
You guys make absolutely silly agruements. No matter how you look at it it's wrong. If you copy cash money and attempt to use it (just like you are using a copied game) then you'll go to jail once they find out it's counterfeited. It's the same exact thing. You can use the painting agruement too, but it actually is illegal to copy a painting and claim it's real (especially if you attempt to resell it). You don't think money was spent by the game company to make the game because you don't have a physical disk and box in your hand? Coding costs money, you have to pay programmers. The same goes for musicians who make music. What's especially bad at pirating games via Xbox is that many of the games have a demo you can test whether it's via downloading on Xbox Live or in a video game store like Gamestop. There is no reason you should have to download an illegal full version of the game to "test" it if you want to buy it or not.
Borrowing is okay because you actually purchased a physical copy of the disk and box. You can't offer it to your friend and play it yourself most of the time without the disk. That means that you have to at least finish the game or put it on hold before you can allow your friend to play it. You also (likely) aren't making your friend pay to rent the game from you (which the developer gets no money from and you profit illegaly from) or make them view a bunch of advertisements on their site before you can borrow the game. You have the legal right to trade or resell the purchased copy of the game. Most "companies" that participate in piracy do so for profit.
Counterfeiting money is VERY different, as it impacts other people, and that money is not real. Eventually, someone is going to lose out on that. On top of that, it impacts the economy by adding more money into the system. That is a VERY silly comparison. Same with the painting idea, because you would be ripping someone off. They would lose money on it, because it does not have the value you told them it had. You would also be doing that to make money. No pirate pirates games to make money.
And yes, programmers need to be paid and blah blah. However, they have already been paid. Regaurdless of if I pirate the game, that money is spent. And, as I said, odds are that I would not have bought it anyway, so they are not out anything. I gain, and they lose nothing.
Also, you mention something about paying rent for the game? What is this about? No one charges me to download games, and I don't charge anyone else. And advertisements are everywhere. If the site that is hosting the torrent files makes a bit of money, who cares? They are not the one pirating OR the ones getting the games for free. They are the middleman.
And there are not companies that participate in piracy for profit. Unless you mean the street sellers that sell DVD's for dirt cheap, which is not what we are talking about. No one is selling anything. I DO have a problem with someone selling a pirated item. However, I have never paid for a pirated game in my life. Maybe you have done something wrong in the past.
pretty good move for MIcrosoft, but sadly, the pirates and modders will prolly find a way around it at some point.
as for my views on piracy, modding and stuff. i believe piracy is indeed stealing if you're downloading something you didn't pay for. making copies for personal use/backup purposes of legally bought items tho, imho shouldn't count as piracy. modding for me varies depending if the manufacturer explicitly said that you can't mess with their stuff. like how some MMOs will ban you if they mess with the game client files, while some games open to mods (source engine stuff).