Microsoft Confirm Xbox Live Ban is Permanent [Xbox Live Ban Bars Xbox Consoles For Ever with "No Recourse for Terms of Use Violations"]

Microsoft have confirmed that if you’ve been banned from Xbox Live and are looking for a way back in you’re luck’s out – as any ban is permanent meaning that your barred console will never access Xbox Live again, period.

Microsoft’s announcement that bans are permanent for the life of a given console, meaning that if a banned user wishes to access Xbox Live services again they’ll have no option but to purchase a new console, was seemingly timed to coincide with the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, the BBC reports, as MS look to stamp down hard on those using pirated copies of gaming titles.

“Users of banned Xbox consoles can recover their profile to another, unmodified Xbox 360 console to resume their Live service,” the firm told BBC News, whilst adding “We can assure you that if an Xbox Live member follows the Xbox Live terms of use, purchased a retail copy of Modern Warfare 2 and played the game on an unmodified Xbox 360, no action will be taken.”

Microsoft are keeping particularly tight-lipped concerning how they determine which Xbox consoles should be banned from the Xbox Live service but its widely known that modified Xbox 360’s are a prime target as MS looks to crack down on modifications that allow users to play pirated games. Of course there are those that argue that they have only modded their consoles to allow for making (and using) backups of gaming discs but it would appear that this isn’t going to hold up as a defence as MS has also categorically stated they offer “no recourse” in the even that a console is banned.

So if you’re already banned, you now know that you can complain all you like, but, ultimately, you’re finished unless you splash the cash for a new console with which to re-register for the service.