Player Claims $40,000 Xbox Digital Library Lost After Permanent Ban For Playing In A Modded Lobby

An Xbox user claims to have lost their $40,000 Xbox digital library after receiving a permanent ban for playing in a modded online lobby.

[Knushwood Butt]

600 games and they chose to play CoD.

[Darkegg]

Details unknowable but this, at the surface, looks bad. Why not ban just that game? Also, they should have limited ability to ban an account but I imagine it's in their policies. Unless the person hack their core infrastructure I don't see the need for them to practically take everything away. This is a big downside to digital, that we leave the power 100% to corporate control as well as to their existence. If they could go bankrupt, they wouldn't bc of this protest from those who "own" digital?

[BlaqMagiq1]

If he owned his games physical he wouldn't have lost them.

[Reaper22_]

Not true. May not of lost them but you still need the console.

[ravens52]

You can use the console off-line. Well PS at least. 🤷🏾

[BlaqMagiq1]

100% true. He lost access to every single digital game that he ever bought since he no longer has access to his account. He can still play on the console just fine just under a new account and start his collection all over.

[Profchaos]

New email reformat console be in your way

[Profchaos]

Exactly he could make a new account and be on his way he'd lose saves and achievements but if it was a case of losing that vs losing everything I'll take a loss on my save game

[azedean]

For the love of god users have to read the terms , the GCU, digitally you owned a long term license to play with your games but you did not owned them at all, If Microsoft, Sony, Valve etc want to remove them from their library and from your library, they can do it. I saw only GOG who did the digital games right.

Maybe if that guy played it online by spreading his story on X etc, M$ will do something but they are not obliged to do it, we need a law that constrain they big companies to do it like GOG for exemple or an alternative way.

[VariantAEC]

Even your mighty GoG doesn't promise that you have perpetual access to your library.
https://support.gog.com/hc/...
[Accessed March 19, 2025]
"2.1 We give you and other GOG users the personal right (known legally as a 'license') to use GOG services and to download, access and/or stream (depending on the content) and use GOG content. This license is for your personal use. We can stop or suspend this license in some situations, which are explained later on.

2.2 When you buy, access or install GOG games, you might have to agree to additional contract terms with the developer/publisher of the game (e.g. they might ask you to agree to a game specific End User License Agreement). If there is any inconsistency or dispute between those ‘EULAs’ and this Agreement, then this Agreement wins."

On UGC "12.2 As far as we and you are concerned, you own any User Generated Content but we need you to give us some limited rights over it so that we can actually transmit it through GOG services. So, by posting User Generated Content you give us a nonexclusive, irrevocable license to use, modify, reproduce, create derivative works from, distribute, transmit, communicate and publicly display/perform your User Generated Content in connection with GOG services.

12.3 It is your responsibility to make sure that you have all necessary legal rights before you use User Generated Content and for checking they are safe to use – we can't know that ourselves, and we can't check it for you, so we have to rely on you.

12.4. However, we have the right (but not the obligation) to review and if appropriate or legally necessary to remove any User Generated Content which is unlawful, tortious, defamatory, obscene, invasive of the privacy of another person, threatening, harassing, abusive, hateful, racist or pornographic. If you find that any such content has been posted on GOG services, please let us know. We ask you to read our Infringing Content and Copyright Policy (link), where we explain our procedure for reporting infringing content. If you still feel your case is not fully resolved after our internal procedure, you have access to an out-of-court dispute settlement - more on this in Section 20 below.

You own your user generated content used in GOG services. Please make sure it doesn’t breach any third party rights." Or your account will be terminated!

"17.2. Our right to terminate the Agreement. If you materially breach this Agreement, we reserve the right to suspend or cancel your access to GOG services and GOG content. By material breach of the Agreement we mean a serious breach which could cause significant harm to GOG, GOG users, as well as, in particular breach of the provisions of section 11 above or GOG Code of Conduct. If we suspend or cancel your access to GOG services or GOG content we'll take reasonable steps to contact you to explain why we have done this and what (if anything) you can do as a result."

Section "17.3" is a CYA by GoG if they close up shop or are bought out.

In all cases even GoG are covering their behinds in these agreements so that you ultimately do not own anything even much of what was purchased, sometimes even if downloaded! You also can't speak freely on their platform even if it doesn't affect GoG in the least bit. GoG, for example, can not be held legally liable for a user saying something derogatory in an online match, even if the offended kills themself as a consequence, but GoG will probably terminate the offenders account because causing such an offense is against their Code of Conduct and ToS.

[Alos88]

And MS wonder why people are leaving Xbox

[victorMaje]

You wanted digital, here you go…aaand it’s gone…

[JunonZanon]

Just to complement: https://www.youtube.com/sho...

[Inverno]

Regardless of reason I will always consider this theft. It's ridiculous how you can spend any amount on digital media and have your account suspended and be stripped of everything you bought.

[gigoran8]

They're letting streamers get away with unlock tools unpunished in COD these days, so only makes sense to let this poor guy get back when he wasn't even the one that instigated the hack.

[Xx_Pistol_xX]

Exactly why I buy physical.

[vTuro24]

We seriously need some new laws for digital ownership. This shit should be illegal.

[Jingsing]

Young fool, only now.. at thee end.. do you understand. (putting all your eggs in a digital basket will only end this way)

[TheColbertinator]

Make sure to buy physical too. I still have my gaming collection at around 70% physical and many games without online requirements.

[DivineHand125]

This is a sad situation he found himself in. Hopefully, it can be appealed. Maybe he can send the CEO a message on Twitter if he is being honest about what happened.

There needs to be better legislation behind digital purchases. The licenses need to be linked to the individual rather than the account. That way, if I somehow lose my account or console, I will be able to register on another account and pick up from there, or at least take my licenses to another platform if I am perma banned. If we are going to move into a digital economy, then protections need to be put in place to protect legitimate consumers.

[Profchaos]

Not the first time I've seen this but it does highlight a big concern where you can lose your account in a moments notice for something you may not have even done or was taken out of context

For example terms do not translate across all regions thongs to me mean flip flops to half the people here

But it can get darker when a Aussie says boys it might be like yeah the boys as in mates but a American saying boy has a undertone to slavery days so how is a automated system going to know the context and regions

We're going to be entering dangerous waters with AI detections and many platform holders give no opportunity to reverse the decision

[jjb1981]

He probably joined a private lobby that does this for money. I've seen videos of guys that do this for a few bucks. I'm sure he knew what he was doing.

[jznrpg]

I guess that’s how people sell achievements/trophies on eBay? I’ve seen them up for sale while browsing games. I always thought no way people are paying and giving their account info to get achievements/trophies. It’s a stupid idea to pay for trophies or achievements to begin with but you can also get your account banned, which isn’t surprising at all. Play the game and have fun. If you can’t get all of the trophies move in to a different game

[Chocoburger]

I read his post, and he claims that isn't the case. Someone entered his game room and used a hack to unlock Achievements for everyone in the room against their will.

He was intentionally screwed over by a hacker that wanted to see people get banned.

[DuckOnQuack35]

Lol and you believe that? Cmon now. Every cheater always says they dindu nuffin wrong

[Chocoburger]

Well the ban was lifted, which means they found no wrong doing on his part. If he truly did something wrong, wouldn't the ban have stayed?

If you could feel shame for your ignorance, now is the time to feel it.

[SimpleDad]

Classic case of FAFO

[anast]

Xbox is a strange ´place to spend that kind of money. I hope this gamer gets their games back.

[Neonridr]

just as an update here, the person got their ban lifted and everything restored.