Microsoft bans Xbox 360 pirates
Has them walk the Live plank.
Microsoft has banned a bunch of rule-breaking Xbox 360 owners who have modified their consoles to play pirated games.
"In our our continued effort to keep gameplay safe and secure for our community of more than 14 million members, Microsoft has taken action against a small percentage of Xbox 360 consoles that have been illegally modified in order to play pirated games," said Xbox Live boss Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb on his blog.
"You should know that modifying your Xbox 360 console is also a violation of the Xbox Live terms of use, will void your 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, both from manufacturers and the local companies that support them. We will continue to employ and bolster anti-piracy security measures to counter piracy in the gaming industry and improve security in the Xbox Live community," he said.
Of course, a small percentage of 14 million will still be rather high. But knowingly breaking the rules and then complaining of a ban is about as stupid as eating Coco Pops with a knife.
Collateral, however, is another problem altogether, and one we hope Microsoft manages to avoid.