A potential Class Action Lawsuit at Abington IP against Microsoft following the recent spate of Xbox Live bannings has appeared. Abington IP are encouraging banned users to take part.
An investigation is currently being conducted regarding business practices of Microsoft with respect to its recent cancellation of certain modified Xbox consoles for use with Xbox Live.
As has been reported widely in the media, tens of thousands of Xbox owners have had their modified Xbox consoles banned from Microsoft's online gaming service Xbox Live. Although modification of Xbox consoles is against the terms of use for Xbox/Xbox Live, Microsoft "conveniently" timed the Xbox console ban to occur just after the release of the new Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 game and less than two months after the release of the very popular Halo 3: ODST game. This "convenient" timing may have resulted in more Xbox Live subscription revenues for Microsoft than it would have generated had these Xbox console bans taken place at some time before the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Halo 3: ODST. Additionally, sales of both Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (published by Activision) and Halo 3: ODST (published by Microsoft Game Studios) would likely have been greatly diminished had the Xbox console ban occurred prior to the release of these games.
If you are an Xbox Live subscriber, had your modified Xbox console banned from Xbox Live, were not refunded a prorated sum for the time left on your subscription, and would like to participate in a class action against Microsoft, please submit your information below.
With the latest batch of new LIVE Features now available, we're kicking off a few FREE LIVE Weekends so that Silver members can get a free trial of all the Xbox LIVE features.
During the free LIVE Weekends, all Xbox LIVE Silver members can enjoy: online multiplayer, Facebook, Twitter, Last.FM, Netflix, Sky Player, Halo Waypoint and 1 v 100 (Some features are only available in specific regions)
Here is the schedule of when the freeness starts for Silver Members:
For all Xbox LIVE regions except those in Europe, Xbox LIVE Silver members will have free access from November 20th from 12n ET /9a PT /17:00 GMT until November 23rd from 12n ET /9a PT /17:00 GMT
For All European Xbox LIVE regions, Xbox LIVE Silver member will have free access from November 25th from 17:00 GMT until November 30th at 17:00 GMT
For all the latest xbox 360 news, gaming info and much much more be sure to check back to our homepage or install our FREE 360-HQ Toolbar which will keep you up-to-date automatically.
Microsoft just commented on the most recent wave of Xbox Live Bans. Microsoft have blocked/banned consoles because their owners had modified the equipment to play games they had not paid for.
"Anywhere between an estimated 600,000 and 1 million players who use Microsoft's Xbox Live gaming service will be cut off from the service because they have modified their game consoles or played games that were illegally downloaded from file-sharing sites, according to the company."
"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," he said.
Xbox LIVE Policies on Console Suspensions
We’ve designed the Xbox LIVE service to help create a place where our members can interact and have fun online. To help protect that experience for our customers, the Xbox LIVE Enforcement team monitors the service for behavior that violates the Xbox LIVE Terms of Use and Code of Conduct. Violations of the Xbox LIVE Terms of Use and the Code of Conduct can result in a variety of actions, up to and including a permanent suspension of a console from connecting to Xbox LIVE. This page is meant to detail some of the reasons that a console could be permanently suspended from the service.
We take console suspensions seriously, and only take such action after a lengthy investigation by multiple teams. When a console is suspended from accessing the service, it will display the following message:
“This console has been banned for violations of the Terms of Use. To protect the Xbox LIVE service and its members, Microsoft does not provide details about console bans. There is no recourse for Terms of Use violations.”
Consoles can be suspended from Xbox LIVE for a number of reasons including, but not limited to:
Console tampering: Physically opening the Xbox and modifying it to play illegitimate software.
Online fraud: Attempting to social engineer users, take over Xbox LIVE accounts, or other fraudulent activities.
Repeat egregious violations: Multiple actions taken on accounts on the console by the Enforcement team for disrupting the service or impacting users.
Customer Support for Xbox LIVE cannot undo an Xbox LIVE suspension for a console. Xbox LIVE console suspensions may also include permanent suspensions of Xbox LIVE accounts as well.
To avoid a console suspension, please review and follow the Xbox LIVE Terms of Use and Code of Conduct. We also recommend that you purchase Xbox 360 consoles new from reputable retail stores because previous owners may have violated the Terms of Use agreement which can lead to the console being suspended. Warranties on Xbox consoles are not transferable from the previous owner .
Everyone on the Xbox and Xbox LIVE teams want our members to have the best possible experience on our service. By following the Terms of Use and Code of Conduct, you can help us work to create safe and enjoyable experiences while enjoying Xbox LIVE.
Frequently asked questions:
I have not committed any fraud, I’ve never had action taken against me by the enforcement team, and I know for a fact I have not modified my console. Can you undo my suspension?
The investigations and subsequent actions taken by the Xbox LIVE enforcement team are conservative in nature. We work very hard to try to fully understand that a console has been modified by looking at a variety of information. Sometimes it’s possible that a previous owner or another user may have performed unauthorized modifications to the console. It is also possible that the purchaser of a used Xbox 360 was not aware the console was modified. In either case we cannot undo the console suspension. We recommend customers who believe they have not modified their Xbox themselves (or committed other actions on the service to warrant suspension) to contact previous owners or users of the console.
How do you detect modified consoles?
There are many factors that lead to the suspension of a console and we do not publicly disclose any of those details.
My console has been suspended. Does that mean my Xbox LIVE account will be suspended as well?
Suspensions for both consoles and accounts are determined by looking at a number of factors. While some Xbox LIVE account suspensions may be issued alongside console suspensions, they are not issued with every single suspension. To avoid having your account suspended from the service, please follow the Xbox LIVE Terms of Use and Code of Conduct.
If a console is suspended, what happens to the warranty?
If a console has been modified or tampered with, the warranty is void and the console is ineligible for an authorized repair, even for a fee. Please refer to the Xbox 360 console Warranty on xbox.com
Can I still be banned if I purchased a modified console second-hand?
Yes. The warranty on a second hand console is void, and the purchaser assumes the risk for any previous modifications. If you purchase a console that has been previously suspended you will not be able to connect to Xbox LIVE.
Why does my banned Xbox 360 no longer install to hard drive?
Once a console has been banned from Xbox LIVE, in order to protect the integrity of the Xbox ecosystem and its members, that console loses its ability to create trusted content. This means that, for example, the console can no longer create profile and game data that is recognized by other Xbox 360 consoles or on the Xbox Live service, and it cannot create trusted game files or recognize previously created game files using the install to hard drive functionality. The inability to create trusted content does not impact the console’s ability to play from discs in the optical disc drive.
If I have a banned console, can I still access my achievements and content?
If your account has not been banned, you are still able to recover your account on an unmodified console. This includes accessing your purchased content and your profile, with achievements, as it existed prior to the console ban.
Can I move my hard drive to an unmodified console?
Yes, to an unmodified console.
Squattingdog from Pinoy Cosplay has just posted a blog regarding a conversation he recently had with a friend who works at the call center which handles Xbox 360 Xbox Live accounts.
A conversation with a friend who works for a call center that handles an Xbox 360 account has yielded a disturbing truth: Microsoft has started its annual Xbox Live banning spree and it has disabled 600,000 accounts so far in the US and Canada.
The target of the banning spree are mainly people who have modified their consoles to play pirated games. My trusty source says that they have been given instructions to push for a million banned accounts by the time the holidays are over.
"Our office has gone to hell," says the source. "People have been calling in around the clock and most of them are screaming teen-agers who don't understand the terms of use that comes with the console they bought."
There you have it. If you're a big Mininova fan like GamerTotoy, stay away from Xbox Live until after Christmas to continue playing online.
It looks like Microsoft is banning users again today. 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..
As you may have read online, we've been actively banning consoles from Xbox LIVE that have been modified to play pirated games. Our commitment to combat piracy and support safer and more secure gameplay for the more than 20 million members of our Xbox LIVE community remains a top priority. 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. The health of the video game business depends on customers paying for the genuine products and services they receive from manufacturers, retailers, and the third parties that support them. This would also be a good time to remind you that the warranty on an Xbox 360 console is not transferrable and if you purchase a used console that has been previously banned, you will not be able to connect to Xbox LIVE.
Consoles can be suspended from Xbox LIVE for a number of reasons including, but not limited to:
Console tampering: Physically opening the Xbox and modifying it to play illegitimate software.
Online fraud: Attempting to social engineer users, take over Xbox LIVE accounts, or other fraudulent activities.
Repeat egregious violations: Multiple actions taken on accounts on the console by the Enforcement team for disrupting the service or impacting users.
Frequenty Asked Questions
I have not committed any fraud, I’ve never had action taken against me by the enforcement team, and I know for a fact I have not modified my console. Can you undo my suspension?
The investigations and subsequent actions taken by the Xbox LIVE enforcement team are conservative in nature. We work very hard to try to fully understand that a console has been modified by looking at a variety of information. Sometimes it’s possible that a previous owner or another user may have performed unauthorized modifications to the console. It is also possible that the purchaser of a used Xbox 360 was not aware the console was modified. In either case we cannot undo the console suspension. We recommend customers who believe they have not modified their Xbox themselves (or committed other actions on the service to warrant suspension) to contact previous owners or users of the console.
How do you detect modified consoles?
There are many factors that lead to the suspension of a console and we do not publicly disclose any of those details.
My console has been suspended. Does that mean my Xbox LIVE account will be suspended as well?
Suspensions for both consoles and accounts are determined by looking at a number of factors. While some Xbox LIVE account suspensions may be issued alongside console suspensions, they are not issued with every single suspension. To avoid having your account suspended from the service, please follow the Xbox LIVE Terms of Use and Code of Conduct.
If a console is suspended, what happens to the warranty?
If a console has been modified or tampered with, the warranty is void and the console is ineligible for an authorized repair, even for a fee. Please refer to the Xbox 360 console Warranty on xbox.com
Can I still be banned if I purchased a modified console second-hand?
Yes. The warranty on a second hand console is void, and the purchaser assumes the risk for any previous modifications. If you purchase a console that has been previously suspended you will not be able to connect to Xbox LIVE.
EPIC Games announced on Friday that they will be holding a double XP event weekend for Gears of War 2 this Halloween. The event runs from 30th October through until 2nd November and you will receive double XP in competitive multiplayer and Horde as well as a team winning bonus.
To celebrate Halloween and the release of Title Update 5, we figured it was time for another double XP event weekend.
Of course that means starting on the morning of Oct 30th you will receive double XP in competitive multiplayer and Horde as well as a team winning bonus.
Beyond that though we wanted to mess with the waves in Horde to try and make it appropriately "scary" for Halloween. So while Butchers seemed on target for the theme, they didn't provide enough umph to make it scary. So we thought, what if any of the many Boomers could attack on any wave and when possible, a full Boomer squad consisting of Grinders, Butchers, Flame Boomers and regular Boomshot Boomers could appear and attack all at once. And of course waves 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 would be nothing but wave after wave of Boomers. Sounds scary and fun to me!
For those of you scoring from home, you may notice that I didn't mention the Maulers (aka the Boomers with exploding flail and shield). That's because for this event we're pulling them out. We figured what is the fun of having a massive Boomer onslaught when you can just plant a shield to block them off. So unless the shield is part of the map, you're on your own!
Microsoft is inviting select Xbox Live subscribers to sign up between now and October 21 for what it calls an "exclusive pilot rewards program," promising unspecified "cool stuff" to those who register.
The company sent email to a limited number of subscribers, some of whom forwarded their invitations on to consumer weblog Kotaku for its report. "So, you click the button below and register to let us know you want in and pretty soon we'll let you know if you got in or not - and not everyone will (that's why it's called exclusive)," instructed the emails.
"This offer is for a select few - you can't send it to anyone else (why would you send something this awesome to someone else, are you nuts?). If you make the cut, you can pass or opt-out whenever you want. But then you'll never know how it ended."
In controversial comments yesterday, Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter speculated that it would be a logical strategy for Microsoft to offer several subscription "tiers" for Xbox Live subscribers, with DLC discounts and other rewards as a sensible incentive for the top tier -- which he thinks could cost as much as $100.
Microsoft, however, has declined to comment on any such tier, and has not explained any further details on its aims with the pilot rewards program.
We only just reported about the leaked release of Forza 3 on the internet earlier this week, but today Microsoft have started banning users from the Xbox LIVE Service for playing Forza Motorsport 3 before it's release date.
This certainly isn't the first time this has happened and it won't be the last. Rather then the normal Console Ban users have been receiving emails notifying them about the Xbox Live Account Bans which have been placed on their account.
Here is a copy of the email sent from microsoft:
Notification of Permanent Suspension: Pre-release title play
This email is to notify you that your Xbox LIVE account privileges have been permanently suspended due to illegitimate pre-release title play.
Your conduct was brought to the attention of the LIVE Enforcement Team through the course of our operation of the service. The LIVE Enforcement Team has reviewed the complaints and other evidence regarding this content and determined it violates the Xbox LIVE Terms of Use and/or Code of Conduct. Because your conduct is in violation, the Xbox LIVE Enforcement Team has enacted this permanent suspension against your gamertag.
During your suspension, you will not be able to log into Xbox LIVE. Your Xbox LIVE privileges will not be reinstated.
Customer Support is not able to modify or provide any further details about your suspension.
Microsoft expects that all customers abide by the Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct provides guidelines for appropriate behavior while using the service.
Set to release October 23, Forza Motorsport 3 is an XBOX 360 exclusive Published by Microsoft Game Studios and is expected to sell well given the score of 93% for Forza 2 on Metacritic.com and the hype over the current version’s visuals and enhanced simulation driving that can also cater to the casual crowd by ramping down the difficulty level with optional aides. While this leak may not be a surprise, it is no wonder why game day available DLC, strategic pricing, and other gimmicks are becoming the norm.
Last week we reported about the new NFL Jerseys which are now available for your Xbox 360 Avatar from the Xbox Live Marketplace and now we have some nice new stats from sales of the Jerseys to Xbox Live Members.
The following list was obtained using sales data for the past seven days so we can see what the top teams are according to sales. Check out the list below.
Major Nelson has just announced the preview sign-ups for the next Xbox Live Update which includes Zune, Facebook and Twitter.
The Xbox team is happy to announce an Xbox 360 System Update Preview program for our next release, and the opportunity to sign up is now available. Much like we did this past Summer, you'll need to visit the Microsoft Connect site from this link and sign in with your Windows LIVE ID that is connected to your Xbox LIVE Gamertag.
Once you do that, fill out the "Xbox LIVE Update Preview Sign Up" survey in order to be considered for receiving the Preview System Update. We're asking a few questions about where you live, your home network, ISP connection and a few other pieces of information. We are looking for a good cross-section of our members in order to get the best feedback we can.
The Xbox team will then review all of the applications and if you’re selected we’ll send you an email notifying you of your acceptance in the program. A couple of points before you head off to register:
We’re looking for multiple thousands of participants, so your chances of making it in are good
This opportunity is open to all Xbox LIVE Members in regions where Xbox LIVE is available
Just completing the survey does not automatically get you access to the Preview Program. We’ll be making final selections from the completed surveys and send you an email if you are selected.
While both Xbox LIVE Gold and Silver members can sign up, Priority will be given to Gold members in the selection process.
System Update Details
What can you look forward to if you're accepted for the preview? Here are some of the new features you'll be able to experience:
Zune: Zune comes to Xbox LIVE with instant-on 1080p HD streaming video on your console, delivering the selection of a video megastore with the convenience of cable.
Facebook: Facebook and Xbox LIVE join forces to connect you with your friends as you interact with the largest entertainment and gaming network on TV. Share real-time status updates with friends from around the globe, and check out photo galleries on the big screen from the comfort of your living room.
Twitter: Read, reply, and post Tweets to Twitter through Xbox LIVE. See what your friends and family are up to, connect to celebrities, learn about news as it happens, and follow online trends.
In addition, to ensure Xbox LIVE remains a safe environment for children, Facebook and Twitter users must be 18 years of age or older.
Zune is available for both Gold and Silver Members, but you'll need to be a Gold Member to experience Facebook and Twitter.
If you are accepted, you'll hear from us shortly. Make sure your information on Connect is updated so we can e-mail you if you are accepted.
For additional details and specific requirements, head to Xbox.com.
If you are accepted, you'll hear from us in about a week. Make sure your information on Connect is updated with a current email address so we can email you if you are accepted.
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The target of the banning spree are mainly people who have modified their consoles to play pirated games. My trusty source says that they have been given instructions to push for a million banned accounts by the time the holidays are over.
Bungie's popular first-person shooter makes its debut on the Xbox 360 with Halo 3.
published by: forahobby
