Xbox ban exploit rumors shot down by Microsoft

Microsoft has denied that there is an exploit for permanently banning Xbox players, as "third-party apps and tools cannot impact player enforcements."

Tom West

Published 04 Aug 2023

According to recent rumors, a PC mod is reportedly being used to exploit Microsoft's player reporting system to permanently ban players from their Xbox accounts, causing the affected players to lose access to their digital games libraries. Microsoft has now denied that third-party software can affect enforcement action on the platform.

Microsoft says third-party software doesn't affect enforcement action on Xbox

microsoft denies xbox ban exploit hackers

As is discussed in this Reddit post, players have reportedly started receiving permanent bans on their Xbox accounts due to a PC mod used to exploit the player reporting system. The reports suggest that the mod is used primarily through Xbox Party Chat to spam Microsoft with false reports until an account ban is imposed by the enforcement team, resulting in the affected players losing all access to their profiles, including their digital games libraries. The general consensus is to not join chats with players you don't know and trust.

Xbox Support says, "Permanent bans are never issued lightly, and only occur after severe or repeated violations of the Community Standards for Xbox. Because of the seriousness of these violations, and to keep other players safe, permanently banned profiles are blocked from accessing the Xbox network in any capacity."

In a statement given to The Verge, Microsoft has denied that this permanent ban exploit is happening. “Third-party apps or tools cannot impact player enforcements, and no volume of inaccurate reports result in an enforcement,” Xbox GM of trust and safety Kim Kunes said. “Only reports that have been reviewed by the Xbox Safety Team and determined to be accurate and in violation of our Community Standards result in an enforcement action such as suspension or an account ban.”

We'll keep an eye out for any updates on this subject.

Xbox Series X|S Xbox One

Written by Tom West

Tom has been playing video games since he was old enough to hold a controller, experimenting with a number of systems until he eventually fell in love with Xbox. With a passion for the platform, he decided to make a career out of it, and now happily spends his days writing about that which he loves. If he’s not hunting for Xbox achievements, you’ll likely find him somewhere in The Elder Scrolls Online or fighting for survival in Battlefield.