Microsoft "unapologetic" about Xbox bans

European Xbox boss Chris Lewis has said Microsoft is "unapologetic" about banning a huge number of gamers from Xbox Live for modifying their consoles.

"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 told Sky News.

Although Microsoft has refused to say how many people have been banned, reports, such as this one from the BBC, have suggested it could be anything between 600,000 and a million accounts.

The platform holder simply said the move affected a "small percentage" of the more than 20 million people who use Xbox Live, and added that it only banned consoles, not accounts, so it is possible to recover an account to a replacement console.

"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," Microsoft said last week when it first warned of the upcoming mass banning.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/mi...bout-xbox-bans