Microsoft bans over 7,000 users from Xbox Live

This week Microsoft has suspended the Xbox Live accounts of over 7,000 players. The players were banned for illegally modding their Xboxes in order to play pirated videogames. Microsoft has issued the following statement on its move:

"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. 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."

Xbox Live users seem to applaud the move by Microsoft. Apart from playing games that haven\'t yet been released, modded Xboxes may also open up possibilities for cheating.