A video, depicting an Xbox Live moderator (Gamertag: The Pro) banning an Xbox Live gamer during an online match of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, has caught the attention of Microsoft since its posting on YouTube yesterday. Entitled "The Pro : XBOX Live Moderator Abuses His Power," the carefully edited video, which can be viewed after the break, attempts to portray a "corrupt" moderator mercilessly wielding his banhammer and perhaps abusing his authority.

Microsoft's Major Nelson quickly made note of the production on his Twitter account, and passed the video off to Stephen Toulouse, director of Xbox Live policy and enforcement, who tweeted several comments of his own. Toulouse noted that The Pro was "policing" Modern Warfare 2 modding, which can result in an Xbox Live Gold account suspension (banning a user from online play) or a complete console ban (rendering Xbox Live inaccessible). >> read more

In a statement to Joystiq, Toulouse said, "The player behavior in question and subsequent interaction with the moderator violated the Xbox Live Terms of Use and Code of Conduct. The Xbox Live moderator followed protocol and, while he regrets his tone, the video was heavily edited to omit the inappropriate behavior and we fully support the moderator's decision to take action against the offending players."

It should be noted that iTzLuPo, the YouTube user who originally uploaded the video, admits that he is a modder in his user bio, stating, "I am now part of one of the best Glitching/modding clans there is on Xbox LIVE." He also lists "Glitching/Modding/tutorials" as so-called hobbies. http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/22/microsoft-the-pro-xbox-live-moderator-followed-protocol/#comments

Posted: Feb 24, 2010 5:43 pm