Microsoft Barring Modded Consoles from Xbox Live

By Geoff Duncan Published November 11, 2009

Although it’s certainly not a mainstream activity, the market for modifying Xbox 360 consoles is healthy and growing. Some players modify their consoles to essentially cheat at games and unlock features and capabilities without having to arduously play their way through dozens (or hundreds) of lead-up scenarios. And, of course, other people modify their Xbox consoles to pirate games or play pirated games—actions that are patently illegal in most markets, but nonetheless supports a healthy underground economy. Some gaming an electronics shop will openly modify Xbox consoles to play pirated games, typically for about $100.

Xbox 360 Elite — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Now Microsoft is apparently starting to drop the hammer on players with modified Xbox console, announcing that it is cutting off access to its Xbox Live online gaming service to players running modified Xbox gaming systems. The company has not provided any specifics for the number of players who may be impacted, but industry reports estimate from 600,000 to 1 million players may now be barred from Xbox Live. The service boasts over 20 million members worldwide.

Recommended Videos

“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 company said in a statement. “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.”

Microsoft is not disabling modified consoles; the systems still operate normally when not using the Xbox Live service. According to industry sources, Microsoft is blocking access on a console-by-console basis. Microsoft has not detailed how it is detecting modified consoles; some users who claim to have modified consoles still say they can get through to Xbox Live, while some members who say they haven’t modified their consoles claim to be banned.

The move comes just after the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2; pirated versions of the game were circulating even prior to the title’s official release.

Former Contributor

Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…

Topics

Gaming

Sony’s new PS5 Prism Collection gives a beautiful retro makeover to your console and controller

The new collection lets you peek inside your PS5 and DualSense controller with a glossy transparent design.

sony-prism-collection-ps5

Remember when transparent gadgets were the coolest things you could own? Sony is bringing that late '90s aesthetic back with its new PS5 Prism Collection. The gorgeous lineup gives your DualSense controller and PS5 console a glossy, see-through makeover in three eye-catching colors.

https://twitter.com/PlayStation/status/2115459064981512662?s=19

Gaming

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4’s Stranded mission had me hooked for hours, yet left me wanting more

I spent hours sneaking through North Korea, scavenging supplies, and clearing outposts, and I’d happily do it all again.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Stranded mission gameplay

For years, Call of Duty’s campaign mode has used big, scripted set pieces to tell the overarching story amid all the adrenaline-pumping action. The 2023 Modern Warfare 3 tried to shake up the established formula by introducing a handful of short open combat missions, and I genuinely liked the idea, but the game's overall negative reception seeped into how those missions were received.

I feared the next iteration might abandon the idea because of the backlash, but I am glad it didn't. MW4’s “Stranded” mission uses the same approach, but instead of fragmenting it across the campaign, it puts it all in a single large-scale open-world mission.

Computing

The $1300 Acer Predator Atlas 8 handheld is finally US-bound, and its pre-orders are already sold out

Acer’s first gaming handheld to launch in the US arrives November 1 with Intel Arc G3 Extreme hardware.

Intel Arc G3 Extreme Hands On with Acer Predator Atlas 8

Acer’s Predator Atlas 8 finally has a US release date and price, several months after the company first showed off the handheld in May. The highlight is the Intel Arc G3 Extreme chip inside, which has been adopted by only a couple of other consoles besides the Atlas 8. This version will go on sale exclusively at Best Buy on November 1 for $1,299.99.

Acer originally said the Atlas 8 would arrive in North America in October, but left pricing open at the time. The launch came amid the ongoing DRAM crunch, which has made memory more expensive across the PC industry and complicated pricing for hardware makers.