Microsoft Crushes Reach Pirates with Banhammer

[Logan Westbrook]

Microsoft Crushes Reach Pirates with Banhammer

Halo: Reach had better be a pretty amazing game, because it's just cost a bunch of people their Xbox Live accounts.

The hackers who grabbed Halo: Reach might have claimed [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/102930-Hackers-Claim-to-Have-Grabbed-Halo-Reach-From-Microsoft-Site] that they weren't going to release the game to the public, but someone did, as the game popped up on torrent sites this week for anyone with a modded Xbox 360 to download and play. But Microsoft was obviously not happy with this, and has handed out "double-tap" bans - both console and player permanently banned from Xbox Live - to those it detected playing the game.

Microsoft emailed the Reach pirates, saying that that they had broken the Xbox Live terms of use and/or code of conduct and had been permanently suspended from the service. It made it quite clear that the ban would not be lifted or modified. This isn't the first time [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/96037-Microsoft-Bans-up-to-One-Million-Xbox-Live-Accounts] that Microsoft has enacted this kind of ban, but normally it only does it once a year as part of an annual sweep. This should give some indication of how seriously Microsoft has taken the leak.

I have to admit, it's hard to feel any real sympathy for the pirates. There's no way that any of them can claim that they didn't do anything wrong, and they don't really have anyone to blame but themselves. Some pirates' motivations may have been more innocent than others, but all the same, they knew they were doing something they shouldn't.

Source: MCV [http://www.mcvuk.com/news/40588/MS-bans-Halo-Reach-pirates]



Permalink

 

[Flying-Emu]

I'm really glad to see companies cracking down hard on this sort of thing. Bravo, Microsoft: You have won my respect.

 

[unacomn]

For a second there I thought it was referring to the gaping security hole that is Games for Windows Live.

 

[Arkhangelsk]

Serves them right. If it's games that barely even exist anymore because they're 20 years old, it might be arguable, but before the game is even released? That's inexcusable.

 

[ryai458]

Good job Microsoft we are all very proud.

 

[Jezzascmezza]

Wow, didn't see THIS coming.
Good on ya, Microsoft; the moderators of the world are banging their ban-hammers in gleeful, rejoicing unison.

 

[Legion]

Good. There is no excuse for what they did and their selfishness screws things up for fans of the game who run the risk of having an upcoming release ruined for them due to videos/spoilers being plastered all over the web when they don't suspect it.

It happened with Gears of War 2, some people got a hold of it, went onto forums and either created threads with misleading titles to post spoilers to unsuspecting people, or went into other peoples threads to do the same thing.

Granted Gears of War 2 didn't have an amazing story all things considered, but it's nice to not know who exactly is going to die and how a month before you get to play it.

It'd be even nicer if they managed to detect those who created new accounts and banned them again.

 

[VulakAerr]

I do believe I am quite in love with the term "double-tap ban". It makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside when things like this happen to those who feel they can get for free games for which the rest of us pay good money.

 

[Vaccine]

Wow, Escapist read my mind when I went looking for this like an hour ago seeing if there was any update on it and I just checked the site again and BAM, right in my face, awesome.

Good game to pirates though, I wonder if it was worth it for them, haha.

 

[omega247]

I have no sympathy for these pirates. Well done Microsoft.

 

[JourneyThroughHell]

Well, sucks to be them, but they probably shouldn't have been stealing the game to begin with, especially considering that it's not too long before the game is officially released.

What did they expect, honestly? "Hey, you're playing Reach. That didn't come out yet... I think we can ban you".

 

[Ciler]

I do believe I am quite in love with the term "double-tap ban". It makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside when things like this happen to those who feel they can get for free games for which the rest of us pay good money.

I love that term too.
These guys also make it more difficult for companies to release their games early to reviewers which again could potentially end up screwing over the rest of us who want to see reviews for games before we buy them (and still want to buy them on or around the release date).

 

[Talvrae]

I'm really glad to see companies cracking down hard on this sort of thing. Bravo, Microsoft: You have won my respect.

Agreed with that

 

[Funkysandwich]

If the pirates are clever enough to get Reach off Xbox live before it's come out, I don't think a ban will stop them.

I doubt this has changed anything.

 

[Talvrae]

Ban console and player? I'm all for appropriate punishment but isn't banning the machine a bit excessive, even if it is modded?

No it's not... modding a console is illegal, it's the best way to deal with it... and it's too easy to do a new accounts

 

[AstylahAthrys]

Good. These pirates deserved it and that should be what you get if you download and distribute a game early. Great job, Microsoft!

 

[Necator15]

I would feel kind of bad if it was a shared console, i.e. if two brothers had a console, and one was far more technologically savvy than the other, and long story short they ended up with a modded box and pirated Reach, none of which the other had anything to do with, and suddenly, Oops! No more XBL.


Other than that, banning the pirates doing that seems like a damned good idea.

 

[Gamegodtre]

if game is finished why the wait?