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While playing Xbox people will often get banned or suspended due to things that they do with their account/console or what they say while playing or messaging people. When you do something that might be a violation of the code of conduct then you are risking getting a ban or suspension from Xbox.
Microsoft is very particular about what you can and cannot do while using their platform so when you break the rules of the network you will find yourself without access to your account either temporarily or permanently.
Often when someone says they were banned for no reason it actually means they were banned for a reason but they don’t agree with the ban. If that is the case with you then the only thing you can do is try and fight the ban with Microsoft’s enforcement team.
If you received a temporary ban or suspension it is normally best to simply accept the punishment and make sure you don’t do whatever it is again.
If you were actually banned for no reason and didn’t do anything wrong then you will certainly want to contact Xbox’s enforcement team. They will investigate the case and if you truly didn’t do anything wrong then they will lift the ban for you. The enforcement team will only lift bans if they actually weren’t earned so don’t waste your time contacting them if you actually broke Microsoft’s rules.
There are many programs and people that are only there to check on the reports that were submitted and either ban people or not depending on the seriousness of the action. When playing online the best way to avoid any bans or suspensions is to simply play the game!
People end up getting in trouble because they get into a trash talking war and eventually get so upset that they say something that they shouldn’t. Even if the other person was intentionally trying to get you banned if you say something you shouldn’t it will still be your fault.
It is honestly a good idea to ban all messaging from anyone besides friends so that way you don’t get pulled down into a war of words.
If there is a ban imposed on your console, then obviously you will want to fix it as soon as possible. In the rest of this article, we will provide you some of the ways that might help you to fix the ban, and also prevent you from getting it in the first place.
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How strict is Microsoft when banning people?
Microsoft has very strict policies for the safe and proper usage of the Xbox console. How strict Microsoft is in regards to accounts varies depending on the severity of the action that was done. For example if you call someone a name or curse at them you will normally get a communications ban.
This type of ban is temporary and will last a few days or weeks depending on what exactly was said. You can normally get three or more of this type of ban before it turns into an account ban.
Yes, that is how strict Microsoft is. If you continue to violate their terms repeatedly then you will eventually lose your account and everything on it. If you have had multiple accounts banned as well then Microsoft will eventually ban your console which means you won’t be able to access Xbox Live at all from that console ever again.
In the case of more serious offenses such as hacking, stealing, etc. you will get less chances and will wind up with an account or console ban immediately.
How can you fix a ban due to physical tampering?
This is one of the most common causes of a console ban as players physically try to tamper with their consoles or with the software or firmware that is on them. This tampering is normally designed to help people cheat at games to get a competitive advantage.
The Xbox console is designed so that it is quite easy for Microsoft to detect and hence people can get a ban easily when trying to do these sorts of things. Even if you are unaware that what you are doing is against the terms and conditions it doesn’t mean that you won’t get banned. If you break the rules whether you know about them or not then you will get banned.
One of the most prominent reasons for this type of physical tampering is because people are so eager to be the best player at their favorite game. People often try to include some of the changes in their Xbox that will enable them to play more efficiently.
This is a wrong approach as it provides you with a wrong way of thinking that may lead you to getting banned for a substantial period by Microsoft.
Microsoft can get information about any type of changes in the console due to the online server. Once you change anything and log into your Xbox Live account, then the servers catch the issue and you will get a ban imposed easily.
While playing online games the feeling of competitiveness is mandatory. People often get competitive and opt to try some of the techniques that are against the policies of Microsoft.
With the help of forums and discussion chats on the internet people will read that the inclusion of software can provide you better and more competitive gameplay. Of course what none of these forums or discussions mention is what the results will be when you are caught by Microsoft!
Players often try to install some unauthorized software that is prohibited by Microsoft. If you are trying to install one of them on your console, then it may cause you to get a ban or suspension of the console. This suspension can be for a temporary period or permanent depending on if it is your first offense and what type of software was installed.
The main reason for the use of this unauthorized software is increasing competitiveness in online games. Players get into a zone where they want to defeat their opposition or the computer by any means necessary. This leads them to use these methods that might get their console banned.
The solution for this is to have the right mindset when gaming. Gaming shouldn’t be all about winning! It should be about having fun while trying to win. Often gamers get so consumed with being the “best” that the game ceases to be fun anymore.
Last year I was playing a game online and got so upset when I lost that I threw the controller across the room. Everyone in the room turned and looked at me and I immediately shut the game off and haven’t played it since. If playing a game has stopped being fun for you then it might be time to take a break from it!
How to keep from being banned
Below are some of the things you can do to avoid being banned. If you have a temporary ban then remember these things once your ban is lifted and you should be able to avoid getting a ban again in the future.
- Maintain a low profile while playing online Xbox games. Gamers shouldn’t indulge in any type of activity that violates the code of conduct and also the service agreement of Microsoft. The easiest way to avoid doing that is simply to play the game as best you can and don’t get pulled into the drama or name calling, messaging, etc.
- Check whether the console is banned before purchasing it if it is used. If you are buying a used console that is banned at the time of purchase then no matter what you will not be able to use it online. It is the sole responsibility of the seller from where you bought it to let you know if it is banned but if you purchase a used console from an online marketplace like Facebook or Craigslist then you will often not have any recourse if the console turns out to be banned.
When buying a used console you should only buy it from a store that has a good return policy or only buy used consoles from close friends or family that you can get your money back from if the console turns up as banned.
Conclusion
Very rarely will an Xbox account or console get a ban or suspension for no reason. Most of the time when people say that they did nothing wrong it actually means they didn’t do anything that they felt was bad enough for a ban and Microsoft disagreed.
If you actually didn’t do anything wrong and received a ban then you can contact the Microsoft enforcement team and have them look into the issue. You have up to one year from the date of the ban to contest it with the enforcement team.