Microsoft has today issued a statement saying that it is unapologetic for banning around one million users from Xbox Live and that the affected users represent only a small percentage of Xbox 360 users.
The bans occurred earlier this week as part of a counter-piracy strike on Microsoft's behalf that targets players running pirated games via the MAC address, meaning that the user will have to buy a new Xbox 360 in order to regain access to Xbox Live. Users can still recover their gamer profiles, but they need to do it on a new Xbox 360.
"If it's clear someone is downloading pirated copies or have modified their Xbox in some way that will allow them to download games that they haven't purchased legitimately and yes we lock that account down and we're unapologetic about that," Microsoft's European Xbox head Chris Lewis said.
Microsoft has refused to issue an exact figure of how many gamers were banned from Xbox Live, but reports speculate that the figure is around one million.
The mass ban itself was likely timed around the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and focused on users playing the game before it was officially released.
Microsoft gave plenty of warning before the ban, saying that users should all be aware that piracy is illegal and should expect to be punished.
"All consumers should know that piracy is illegal, and that modifying their Xbox 360 console to play pirated discs, violates the Xbox Live terms of use, will void their warranty and result in a ban from Xbox Live."
Let us know your thoughts in the forums.
The bans occurred earlier this week as part of a counter-piracy strike on Microsoft's behalf that targets players running pirated games via the MAC address, meaning that the user will have to buy a new Xbox 360 in order to regain access to Xbox Live. Users can still recover their gamer profiles, but they need to do it on a new Xbox 360.
"If it's clear someone is downloading pirated copies or have modified their Xbox in some way that will allow them to download games that they haven't purchased legitimately and yes we lock that account down and we're unapologetic about that," Microsoft's European Xbox head Chris Lewis said.
Microsoft has refused to issue an exact figure of how many gamers were banned from Xbox Live, but reports speculate that the figure is around one million.
The mass ban itself was likely timed around the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and focused on users playing the game before it was officially released.
Microsoft gave plenty of warning before the ban, saying that users should all be aware that piracy is illegal and should expect to be punished.
"All consumers should know that piracy is illegal, and that modifying their Xbox 360 console to play pirated discs, violates the Xbox Live terms of use, will void their warranty and result in a ban from Xbox Live."
Let us know your thoughts in the forums.
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