If your account was banned from Xbox Live recently, and you hadn't done anything wrong, you might be back online soon. According to Microsoft, some bans that were handed out between August 29 and September 9 were the result of a software error. Those accounts will be reinstated and gifts will be given. For the inconvenience of inadvertently banning users, Microsoft is handing out three free months of Xbox Live and 1600 Microsoft Points ($20).
"It was one of those very, very rare circumstances where we were using software on the Xbox 360 to assist [in policy enforcement]," Xbox Live Director of Policy and Enforcement Stephen Toulouse told Joystiq. "An issue came up that we felt the right thing to do after we determined some [consoles] weren't tampered with was to undo the suspension."
Toulouse isn't ready to say what, exactly, went wrong because, in his words, "There are entire internet forums dedicated to parsing every word we say about what the console is doing when it is looking for modifications, so that they can figure out a way around it. We have to be careful about sharing to that level of specificity, because that's what they're looking for. So, I can't go into what it was looking for, or how it was looking for it, I can only state that due to a software issue it drew up some machines that were not tampered."
I've never been banned from any gaming service, but what about you guys? Have you ever been kicked out of a network? If so, why? Was it fair?
Source: Joystiq
All of the best people are following Stephen Johnson's twitter feed. Also, email me if you wanna.
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Griever2112
Ya know what, I would rather have my account banned for 10 days, have Microsoft admit it screwed up and restore my account, give me three months free and $20 bucks, then have my service cut off, not be told why for 5 days (and for the record Sony NEVER notified me, I learned all this from G4 thankfully) only to learn my personal and credit information has been stolen not have Sony admit they screwed up and only get some kind of restitution with the threat of like a dozen class action lawsuits.
qec
PS3 may go down more than Snooki at a night club, but at least they don't ban people by accident. They just give away all your personal info to hackers.
MaciasTamra
MaciasTamra's comment is abusive and has been removed.
strongsquirrel1
I got banned on Reach for apparently boosting on fire fight, :/ ??? never got banned from Xbox live
Sally Wong
Well you might as well have be banned, if you tried to play on the Playstation Network this weekend.
Every two or three hours I was dropped from playing "On Line", and received the usual " SORRY A SYSTEM ERROR OCCURRED" . What a piece of crap Gaming Network !
Love and Kisses : Sally Wong.
CAPTAINxCHUNKY
i was banned for a few days because just for the hell of it i put fat power as my motto....
justdaman182
I'm currently banned from playing madden online because I told an admin on the forums that he abuses his power.... I think I'm good proof of that SMH at people with internet power....
sidercraig
I got banned from a server in BFBC2 for a few weeks because I was accused of aimbotting... I got one lucky spray headshot on a guy and his next life got another headshot on him XD
Silver Back Grip 48
X-Box microsoft go home for real you is not in a ps3 of superior emperor ok you suck 360.
MichaelStarbuck
anyone know when its happening?
Slayinfool
I was never banned but I was suspended for a week for telling an Xbox moderator to go F himself. It was worth the week ban! Some of these moderators are real idiots. :)
LeBigMac
gtaforums, cuz im a bad mofo
Nefertiti78
Oh snap...I just logged in on my old console and it's back online and I got all my game unlocks back!
Now where's my points and my extra 3months?! lol
Nefertiti78
I am one of the victims of the console ban, had to go out and buy a second hand xbox just so I could get back online in time to play Gears 3. It was SUCH an inconvenience, I'm wondering if they're picking and choosing which consoles to reverse the ban on or if all consoles banned during that time period are getting reversed. And how will we know when it's reversed, do we just try and log in everyday on the banned console?
Silver Back Grip 48
Your X-Box 360 need a good kick in the ass for real listing to the ps3 game.
lgtjdi
it would seem all is not well in XBOX land.
casting stones in glass houses can be a butt kicker.
Xiroh86
As a Playstation gamer this doesn't effect me, but having gone through the Playstation NOTwork situation, I can sympathize with those Xboxer's that got ban for no good reason. I hope that Microsoft gets this whole situation ironed out soon for the sake of the gamers.
Oh, and to all the PS3 lovers out there claiming that this is proof of Sony's superiority, just stop. Remember we went through something similar to this not that long ago.
Atzil
Hackers are becoming very smart now.
Ryzuki
My brother had this problem, though he didn't get any cash or points for it.
SpyHunterBG
I was recently Console, yes, console banned from Live. A few calls and some F-Bombs later, my father and I were able to get a hold of someone, who sorted this all out today. I did recieve the extra 30 months and 1600 magical microsoft dollars, but they offered another year of live free if I were to send it in for evaluation, and if all goes well, i get a new replacement system in the mail that day.
Although Im still pretty pissed they let an automated system handle console bans, the recent events have put them a little higher in my book. Although we suggested to them what they're doing now, it took them 3 and a half, 4 weeks now to say okay. However, Im getting $20 in points, 15 months of live, 2 new copies of Reach and Black OPs, and if they are no longer in possession of elites, im hoping i may get a slim as a replacement.
I play the crap out of Resistance 3, get free goodies. Not bad. Not bad at all.
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