Microsoft Bans Modded 360s from Xbox Live

[Flack]

http://www.xbox-scene.com/xbox1data/sep/EEZAuFAEuAjENKDCMV.php

Microsoft Starts Banning 360s on LIVE - MS Confirms

Microsoft decided to start banning Xbox360 with modified firmwares today (both Hitachi-LG and Toshiba-Samsung drives).

While it's the same release date as Halo3 beta, it seems that people who didn't download Halo3 also get banned. They probably detect backup discs (and not the modified firmware) when you play 'em online (not confirmed yet).
Even people using the new firmwares with disc-jitter added get banned, so it looks like Microsoft found another way to detect it. However we also see reports of people with modified firmwares that are not banned (yet). Microsoft is known to ban with delay though, so it'll probably take a while before we got a good view on who got banned for what reasons.

Just like on Xbox1 it looks like Microsoft bans the console unique ID (serial), not the LIVE user. Microsoft will not allow anyone to login on LIVE on a banned console.

Many people on the official xbox.com forums also claim they got banned but didn't have a flashed firmware ... we'll have to see how that story develops in the coming hours and days.

[ProgrammingAce]

= )
...

[udisi]

This makes me happy :)

I have no problem with modding a console for personal use(for certain perposes, not to run backups), but they have no place on xbox live.

[Damaniel]

I totally agree with this. If you do something against Microsoft's Terms of Service, don't be surprised if they cut off your access. That's just the risk you take if you go down the modding route. However, if you plan on buying a used 360 from GameStop/EB/Ebay/etc in the next few months, I'd be *very* careful, since I expect that many of these modded systems will make their way into game stores as trade-ins.

As a side note, if Microsoft really is turning off 'innocent' 360's by mistake (as some are claiming), that's totally uncalled for. Hopefully Microsoft will have some kind of appeal process -- I know I'd be pissed if my system was turned off accidentally. Out of curiosity I did just check and my (unmodded) 360 still works... ;)

[Oobgarm]

That's what you get. If people are going to act all butthurt about it, then oh well. They couldn't have expected MS to just sit back on this issue.

[njiska]

We all new this was coming. That's one reason why i never modded my Xbox. i love live too much.

[segagamer4life]

This makes me happy :)

I have no problem with modding a console for personal use(for certain perposes, not to run backups), but they have no place on xbox live.


I concur, there is no place for this on xbl.... sweet move

[NE146]

Strange...since you figure, with the annual fee as well as the content, Live was about the only thing pirates PAYED for LOL

[Vectorman0]

I predicted they would wait until Halo 3's release, but I was mistaken. I guess I should have known with the beta, since everyone could have been running a bootleg Crackdown in order to play it.

[Kejoriv]

Now whats to stop someone trading in their modded 360 at Gamestop? Will EB/GS check them out first before accepting the trade-ins?

[Griking]

Now whats to stop someone trading in their modded 360 at Gamestop? Will EB/GS check them out first before accepting the trade-ins?

ROFL Yeah right.

[mailman187666]

I would never buy a used 360 in the first place due to the system's flawed design (I would buy a used one of a close friend though). This will eventually create a problem in the stores, but probably for only a brief period of time, until everybody stops hooking thier modded 360s on live.

[Kamino]

agreed. Stop being jewish and buy games.

[omnedon]

No surprise that this happened. OSG never offered this mod because I was so sure that it would lead to this eventually. Lousy mod.

I've already warned all OSG affiliated Depots to revise their testing on XB360 purchases, and offer waaaaaay less $$ for systems with tamper seals compromised.

[Gamereviewgod]

Some of the comments on Major Nelson are priceless.

"MS is losing money because I bought arcade games and paid for Live! Hello Sony!"

Gee, I'm sure they're so sad to see you go.

[Damaniel]

Some of the comments on Major Nelson are priceless.

"MS is losing money because I bought arcade games and paid for Live! Hello Sony!"

Gee, I'm sure they're so sad to see you go.

I don't think Microsoft cares if these people go and buy a PS3. By banning these people, Microsoft has made it very clear that they want the modders to go away. Idle threats are meaningless in a case like this. Besides, do the people who have been banned really think that Sony is going to accept them with open arms and allow such activities to be tolerated on their network?:)

[ProgrammingAce]

Microsoft would be very happy if all the people who pirate Xbox games go buy a PS3. Sony looses a shit-ton of money on each console, and those people don't buy games anyway. It's win-win for MS.