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MS warns against second-hand 360s

May have been previously banned.

Senior Xbox cheerleader Larry Hryb has warned gamers buying second-hand 360s that they run the risk of not being able to connect to Xbox Live.

It's all down to the fact that Microsoft has 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," Hryb wrote on his blog. Well, someone wrote on his blog. It's a very 'vetted' statement.

"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."

And coincidentally, that's bad news for people who fancy buying a cheap Xbox 360 off eBay or wherever. "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," Hryb added.

You could argue that's a bit convenient, what with second-hand console sales doing nothing for Microsoft's bottom line. Then again, if you buy a 360 second hand you're asking for trouble anyway.