Don’t Use Your Xbox One Pre-Release Day, Console Bans Already Being Handed Out!
Earlier today we brought you news that a user had gotten his Xbox One dispatched to him early by Target. This of course was a mistake, but naturally the person who got their hardware early thought it was rather freaking sweet! Until Microsoft banned his console of course.
Now I’m sure many of you will be thinking Microsoft are scumbags for doing this, he shared mostly public information about the UI, game installs etc and no real harm was done. Yet it is clearly a breach of contract with Microsoft as per the terms of service that since the console is unreleased it is classed as Beta hardware. Microsoft reserve all rights to ban any pre-release, beta, dev unit that shouldn’t be in use, which is exactly what they did.
This is mostly because the gamer will be running the console pre-update, without day one patches on games and will effectively be showing off unfinished products in a way that could be damaging in terms of PR if people were led to believe that this was the final state of affairs, when it likely is not.
One developer has spoken out about this on Reddit;
“He did buy a product, a product not released until the 22nd. The product was delivered in error, but that doesn’t change the fact it’s an unreleased product and most likely classified as a beta product. Microsoft reserves the right to suspend/ban that console under the TOS.
That being said, I was ambivalent about the leaks we saw today. Leaks are seldom good for the development team, even if they are positive. It represents thousands of hours of work that may or may not be in an unfinished state. All it takes is one instance of something that was mis-communicated or misconstrued, throw that through the internet media machine and you’ve got a disaster.
On the flip side, it was quite refreshing and encouraging to see everything we’ve done received so well. It was a little emotional for me when I saw numerous approving responses to Marc and Yusif’s demo yesterday morning. I think many of us on the team sometimes forget to take a step back and see the product work as a whole because when you work on the console, all you see are the features that still need work and the bugs that need fixing. At least this was the case for the past 6 months or so.
Personally, I hope it’s only a temporary suspension until launch day.”
Hopefully the unlucky user can get the ban over turned given the fact that he got the console by accident due to a shipping error, and how the hell can they really expect every kid not to open the box and play with what must be one of the few, if only, consumer Xbox One on the market.
Thank you Gaming Bolt for providing us with this information.
Image courtesy of Gear Nuke.
So you guys made it. That he wasted money now since its banned?
early access bans are stupid.
if you’re frightened about people leaking information about your product before people can go out and buy it then there’s something you need to fix, not cover up.
Though a product will technically still be in it’s incomplete beta state, that’s only a technicality. any software that is legitimately incomplete a few days before launch would’ve had it’s release date pushed back.
And why punish the consumer for buying your product and eagerly using it before release? if anybody gets punished surely it’d be the company that delivered it early?
THe punishment is almost certainly largely for the posting of the info, not the using the comsole. Still a douchy move by MS but likely not for the understanble thing.
Regardless, my point still stands. whether somebody is critical or positive they’re still looking at a full, complete bit of software/hardware that’s not going to change.
Bollocks, so many products these days are released incomplete that beleiveing anything would nesserially be pushed back because it is pre launch is daft. Also the shipped units are almost certainly using installs a few weeks old, not a few days.
Its also about being fair to those that signed up to NDAs, they arent allowed to say anything. And so susending access to the console until its actually avaliable isnt even really much a punishement.
Because of the revolution of the internet, software is often allowed out the gates without full QA testing and debugging, but these are by no means incomplete products. they’re products that’re close enough to the initial vision that the publishers/developers have deemed it ready for purchase.
Most of the time, development will continue on these programs after launch through patches that offer further optimization and bug fixes, but for all intents and purposes, the day one, un-updated package is regarded as the first complete version. It may not live up to your expectations as the consumer, but that is the case. All reviews and first impressions will be based on that version.
If a developer has a title that’s not crappy shovelware then they’ll always postpone release if they think it’s not going to meet an acceptable standard.
As you said, the software on a system or a disc will be several weeks old as they need to be certified, pressed, packaged and shipped. But this is my point. With the launch of the system so close, it’s massively unlikely that any changes whatsoever will be made to any of the software/hardware, so what’s the harm in a consumer who paid money using and talking about his new gear?
Just screw NDAs.
Also, bear in mind that at the time this article was written there was no follow up information on whether or not this was a permanent ban. All we knew was it was a ban.
Looks like He’ll be buying a PS4 now then.
Or he’ll make the right decision and go with a PC.
Hahahahah! PEASANTS!
IIts been confirmed that this is only temp( go to major nelson page on twitter) his xbox will be back up and running on the 22nd. Still stupid non the less tho.
surely its only an issue for him if he signed an NDA ?
It is probably hidden in the ToS you have to accept before even registering the xbone.
Which is why it should be illegal and why companies like Microsoft chronically get in trouble in countries like Germany where it is illegal to “OK” a ToS by opening a package. Consumer laws in the US suck horribly.
Good Guy Sony http://www.eteknix.com/sony-will-ban-users-use-ps4-release-day/
Sony is not a “Good Guy”. They (corporate) just know a bit better what is going to get them in hot water with the public…except for the fact they can’t keep their various CEO’s mouths shut and CEOs have developed chronic “foot in mouth”.
Dump the toys and play with the big boys, peasants.
Fvck MS !! With a big thick broom-handle. I’d like to see this guy sue their a$$es off. He is using a legally bought product in the manner for which it is intended.
Terms and conditions which the user agreed to, he’s not allowed to use it prerelease.
sure, MS had legal precedence to ban his account, but it;s still a dick move.
How does he know it is pre-release? Is that stated on his receipt? He bought a product, was shipped the product. Unless there’s something on or in it to state otherwise, it’s his to use. Until we find out it’s some shenanigans by a Target employee, knowingly releasing it to a bud. Then we have a problem. As long as it’s turned on by release day, this will blow over.
This is why Sony is getting ahead….
This is why Sony is getting ahead! Go Sony! 😀
Shoulda went with the PS4
so someone bought an xbox one and because he activated it early he got banned?
oh i smell a big sue coming to redmond..
At this point, Microsoft should just drop out of the console business and stick to PC stuff. Maybe then Windows 8 would have been better.