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'Pirating' NXE sounds like a great way to get banned from Xbox LIVE
10:55 PM on 10.31.2008, Nick Chester 27 comments

'Pirating' NXE sounds like a great way to get banned from Xbox LIVE photo
     Xbox 360

Didn't make it into Microsoft's New Xbox Experience preview program and can't seem to hold your horses until the November 19 launch? Here's a bad idea -- pirate it!

Yup, the install files for the New Xbox Experience have made their way to the Internet, and it certainly works to update your console. But as Platform Nation (who went ahead updated their system with these files) puts it, "You can not connect online with it till November 19th." Well, here's a little surprise: you might not be able to connect again. Ever. Period. 

Earlier today, press participating in the New Xbox Experience program (myself included) were warned to not switch the hard drives from our updated consoles to another unit. Microsoft later clarified to us by saying, "This is a security measure and if you do switch hard drives from a console with NXE preview access to one without it you could be placed on the ban list for unauthorized usage."

So while it might be tempting, just hold your horses; it's not worth it. You do want to playing Gears of War 2 online next week, right? To hold you over, check out our early impressions from our experience with NXE.


Next page: More Xbox Live stories




grafkhun's Avatar
grafkhun at 10/31/2008 23:11
It's quite sad if you think about, how gamers just exploit any early beta/demo like this. A free interface update released in a little more than 2 weeks is pirated? pathetic, if you're not in the beta it's that simple. Oh well, we should all just SFUAJPG.
Steve519's Avatar
Steve519 at 10/31/2008 23:11
this is what MS said in their email, "if an unregistered console is updated with the NXE update, that console will not be able to connect to Xbox LIVE until the NXE has been officially released on November 19th."

And yes you do run the risk of getting banned, Platform Nation stated that.
grafkhun's Avatar
grafkhun at 10/31/2008 23:12
oops, STFUAJPG, forgot the T
Capn Birdseye's Avatar
Capn Birdseye at 10/31/2008 23:17
I agree with dexter. This seems unnecessarily harsh. So what if they get the dash early?
Nick Chester's Avatar
Nick Chester at 10/31/2008 23:19
@steve:

MS may have said that in the email sent out to those in the preview program, but press got a different email, one that explicitly stated that unauthorized consoles would be banned. The words "permanently banned from Xbox LIVE" were also used.
dmgi's Avatar
dmgi at 10/31/2008 23:40
Well they're idiots for thinking there would be no consequences considering Microsoft's stance on any sort of piracy.
Gamer Named Tim's Avatar
Gamer Named Tim at 10/31/2008 23:44
Holy crap. I really feel sorry for any dumb bastards that pirated it already.
brainderailment's Avatar
brainderailment at 10/31/2008 23:53
Too bad for the guys that thought this was innocent fun and get permabanned. But, I sort of agree with Microsoft on this one, they should discourage ANY kind of firmware change on their console without it being official and released directly from them to your console.
Chronic Logic's Avatar
Chronic Logic at 11/01/2008 00:18
I remember something like this happended to GTA4, ppl who pirated the game b4 it was released tried to connect to the servers online even though they weren't up yet, and got permabanned. Fucking n00bs.
Professor Pew's Avatar
Professor Pew at 11/01/2008 02:00
Wouldn't the people who would go through the trouble to try this be the more brand-loyal customers in the future?

Then again, people are not always smart and some of them are playing Gears 2 online for a week now :)
onomelon's Avatar
onomelon at 11/01/2008 03:57
So MS is banning people from X-Box Live for are getting their grubby little paws on the [b]FREE[/b[ update that they are offering later this month?

Can we now just admit that the industry's obsession with piracy is starting to get a tad bit ridiculous?
dontstaylong's Avatar
dontstaylong at 11/01/2008 06:24
anyone who's standing up for the pirates in this case... i just don't get it.

you break the rules and steal something (bad enough) that's not even out yet (worse), and you expect a major corporation like microsoft to not do anything? seriously?

plus: i just ordered a 360 from amazon yesterday. can't wait for it to get here. hoo-ray.
Aziel13's Avatar
Aziel13 at 11/01/2008 07:57
I can wait
JavTheGreat's Avatar
JavTheGreat at 11/01/2008 12:38
I think banning is too big a punishment...

They should like ban them on the day that NXE comes out so that way they have to wait a day longer :P
Kalakaua's Avatar
Kalakaua at 11/01/2008 14:14
HAHA!

Pirating is bad, mmkay?!

Good for them.
OhJAM's Avatar
OhJAM at 11/01/2008 16:50
Yes, it's effectively stealing a piece of software that you shouldn't have access to for a few more weeks. But since that particular piece of software is costing the consumer the low, low price of absolutely-fucking-nothing, I happen to sway on the side of "dick move."

Pirate Gears 2 a few weeks early, sure, banhammer city. NXE? Now that's just petty.
otimus's Avatar
otimus at 11/02/2008 09:41
Anyone who thinks MS should ban people for this is a god damned tool, and should be banned from gaming for being a god damned cooperate shill. This is not the same thing as pirating a game. It's not even the same damned thing as pirating a 99 cent song.
It's more like peeking under the curtain of a store that's open to the public, but isn't open yet.
They're not going to ban you for life from a store for doing. I hope not, anyways.
Holyetheline's Avatar
Holyetheline at 11/02/2008 10:06
i don't even know why people are so excited about this... i can totally wait
CoverlessTech's Avatar
CoverlessTech at 11/02/2008 14:45
My system got updated from a friends memory card. We didn't know it would install on my console at the time, he just wanted to use his profile for some co-op castle crashers at my place.

I'm still paying for Live that I can't use right now. I still buy all my games, and I sure as hell have bought a lot of content off the marketplace.

If they permaban me from Live for this then you can be sure as hell I'm modding my 360 and pirating all my games from now on.
TrailerParkJesus's Avatar
TrailerParkJesus at 11/02/2008 19:06
People pirate things just because they can pirate things. This one doesn't even make sense. Stealing free things. You rebel.
Blackhat's Avatar
Blackhat at 11/04/2008 14:36
I just want to know how PC gaming will be blamed for this.
sam2009's Avatar
sam2009 at 04/28/2009 09:19
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