Microsoft has begun banning 360s that have been detected to be modified or "tricksy", as the late great Smeegol would say (before biting off your finger of course).
Due to internet rumblings about the almight ban hammer coming down, Xbox Live's product manager BigVIP (who clearly gets ALL the ladies) posted the following on Gamerscore Blog:
Keeping Xbox Live Fair
One of the great things about LIVE and the unified community is that we work hard to create a level playing field for all gamers and have a no tolerance policy towards inappropriate behavior like hacking or cheating. As part of our commitment to our members, we do not allow people that we have detected to have modified their console to connect to LIVE. This is an important part of our efforts to try and maintain a fair gaming environment for the large majority of gamers that play by the rules. This topic is more important than ever given the recent release of the Halo 3 beta. As a result, some consumers that try to login to LIVE who we detect have illegally modified their console will get an error code (Status Code: Z: 8015 - 190D) when trying to connect to the service. These users will not have their account automatically banned from LIVE, but they will no longer be able to access the service from the console they modified.
The exciting conclusion after the jump!
We have stated in the past that customers can only enjoy access to the Xbox LIVE community through the use of a genuine, unmodified, Xbox console and we will continue to enforce this rule to ensure the integrity of our service, the protection of our partners and the benefits of our users.
If you see this screen here, then you have betrayed Sheeba and Microsoft plans to rip out your heart. Keep in mind that your console itself is being banned, not your Live account. Microsoft wants you to come back, just after you've learned your lesson in the corner and then spent another 500-note on their game system / space shuttle.
That's all great and everything, but back to the Smeegol thing. Seriously, he was gay right? It's like I thought it was fairly obvious, but I didn't want to be the guy who actually says it out loud. Cuz if I'm wrong, people will be like "Stupid!" and if I'm right, then people will be like "Of course he is. Stupid!" I know, my friends are hurtful, but I think it's because they themselves might be gay. Not that I'm judging, I just want to make sure.
Contest:
12:42 PM on 05.18.2007
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Good riddance.
As far as all those kids posting the going to PS3 shit, um well they are the morons cause a) they can still play their pirated 360 games just not on Live... b) PS3 shit ain't even closed to hacked...
Read the forum over at xbox.com
Actually namelessted I thought the funniest comments on those forums were the kids who were like "damn. good job microsoft."
you KNOW half of those people are buying another 360, that was bloody brilliant
I don't think Smeegol was gay. I'm pretty sure he's not attracted to either sex, his love for his precious has blinded him so.
Anyway, I thought it was Shiva too, but my memory of watching the movie ten years ago and a bunch of movie sites with Indian Jones quotes say "Sheeba" so I'm going to be a nub and leave it.
If anyone has the movie feel free to watch it and come back here to let us know what may be the most important thing ever discussed, ever in the history of ever.
Too funny.
As for me, Im at a loss as to why anyone would hack a 360, too play all those great Region 2 games they're missing out on?
PS mine isn't banned I'm just wondering because it would be kinda funny/shitty to get a used/banned 360.
Don't buy used consoles
so who is it that ms is fucking with this?
the pirates. yarrrrrrrr.
not so much, the pirates will continue to pirate the majority of thier games. some will buy a second console for online play, but many will just continue to steal software and play offline.
what about the kids that flashed and then sold thier consoles to gamestop? someone buys a used console only to go home and find out they'll never be able to use live? how will MS distinguish genuine complaints from the crafty folks? they'll have to form a program with the distributors of used consoles to have the console id verified, have confirmation the stock firmware was replaced, and then remove the id from their banned list. i think this is either gonna cost them more than its worth, or they are about to take a big chunk out of the used console market.
basically. i wouldn't go buyin used 360's.
first red lights of death.
and my second one..
lag when playing multiplayer split-screen.
some hard drive connector thingamajig.
i'm not mad.i have tons of games to play.
but i'll get it back in a week.
what gets me mad is MODDERS, CHEATERS ETC.
so GOOD!!!
YES I'M POINTING AND LAUGHING AT YOU!!
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
They check to make sure the systems are working, I can't imagine it would be that hard to make sure it's going to connect to Live. That and stores will get ID's of people who buy items, so if they find that someone sells them a modded system and later it doesn't work, I'm sure they could figure out who it was. I'm not sure what (if any) legal options they would have, but I wouldn't be shocked if Gamestop, etc. develops some kind of form you have to sign if you sell a 360 saying you did not mod it, etc. and are responsible if they find you did.
If you get a used 360, take it home and make sure it connects. If it doesn't, take it right back. It's not as if they're going to think you modded it and then got banned all within the span of an hour or two.
i don't think microsoft gives a shit about gamestop or if they can resale their console and why should they? gamestop kills their sales numbers and i swear they under order games on purpose it force pre-ordering which is total bullshit anyway, so game stop and the pirates can eat shit, fucktards!
I know game stores will be around as long as video games, but I think I'll stick with Best Buy or Costco. I don't need to try and scratch a giant sticker off my brand new games or get a "new" copy of a game that has been opened by the employees because little inner city children will steal them otherwise.
used games do take a chunk out of MS's earnings, but seriously, do you not think Gamestop is doing some major numbers for MS? both hardware and software? you'd think they want to stay on descent terms..
@akathatoneguy
never worked in gaming retail or resold any of my consoles, so i don't know what they do to test over there. i guess now they're gonna have to.
for the record, its not illegal to mod you're consoles. you purchased the box, and its yours to do what you wish. moral, immoral, exploratory, etc. xbox live is a provided service, that comes with an EULA, that clearly states that modification of your console will result in a ban. i'm not one to pass judgement on anyone for doing what they will, but i do think its incredibly retarded to sit and complain about something you CLEARLY did wrong.
before you point your fingers, make sure your hands are clean.
The only thing that gets under my skin is Microsoft's press release that implies that having this tool of the devil allows for cheating. Deception, FTW!!!
i see your point, on the gamestop relationship, i wish there were some type of numbers accurately describing how symbiotic the relationship is.
I'm pretty sure they're not supposed to take it at all if the warranty sticker is broken. At least that's what they said about my PS2.
Modding the 360 at this point is nothing more than replacing the existing firmware with one that lets you boot pirated games too i.e. you wouldn't be able to tell just by turning it on unless you tried to play a pirated game. Also, you can reload the original drive firmware as long as you have a backup so they couldn't tell regardless--only evidence being the broken warranty sticker.
Well I have a friend who had a friend who once saw this guy playing Halo 2 in a modded console believe me People DO cheat with a modded xbox, oh yes THEY do.
This friend used to play trhough internet via a game tunneling service, how bad was cheating in it? well We once saw once an entire room filled with flying invencible magical master chiefs, it was both histerical and tragic.
Also playing against an invencible cussing 13 old who can kill you with a single magnum shot is only funny when you are not in the receiving end (Did I mention you CANT mute them because theres a cheat for that too?)
Is terrible news for modders I know, but is all for a greater good, believe me.
Besides modders already KNOW they shouldnt go on live (or keep their consoles connected).
Anyway, If I were I would just stop playing online, now OR reinstall the original firmware and get an original game, while you still can.
Besides is not like Xbox 360 games are THAT expensive, I got PGR3 for $10 bucks, and Crackdown for $30 (used of course)
He got rightfully pissed.
*goes to play settlers of catan*
1-you can't find games.
2-you can't find consoles or any other stuff.
3-you have to watch other people (internet people.yes you) play and have fun while you wait in your shitty country to be on microsoft's "outside US so they have to pay with their blood in order to play games in their little country" list.
let me give you an example.here a ps3 is 1150 usd and you can buy an modded xbox for 750 usd .and while you cant find ANY original games, you can buy a pirated xbox 360 game for 11 dollars.and when you try to sign in to LIVE with your one months of free membership, it tells you that they dont have that service in your country.How lovely!
This is not modders fault its microsofts fault.they have to learn that there are gamers in every country in the world.And they can do anything to do play these games like everybody does.i want to buy your damn games but i cant so what should i do? Wait for 5 years to play gears of war? i am already to old to play games.and i plan to play wii when i am 70.
when you live in a country like this you fell like your country is the worlds little brother which has to wait for his big brothers sisters or brothers friends to finish playing games so that you can then MAYBE play a game.
i know its not right to buy pirated games or mod an xbox but think of it like this.you are on a deserted island where you can only play old ps2 games and wii.it's just boring.
I agree with the fact that Wii is boring.