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Kotaku - Microsoft Punishes Gears Leakers By Making Their Xbox Ones Unusable

Why is everyone so against the leakers? So MS can't show the game unannounced now with maximum hype. Why do you care? You're consumers, not shareholders.

Perhaps there are people on this board who are part of the testing who don't want a few blithering idiots to wreck something pretty cool for the rest of them to get 5 minutes of internet fame?

E3 is a month away, I (and I suspect others) don't care about multi-billion dollar company who should have announced their damn product before testing it at home losing "maximum hype" but do care about other things, such as this testing and their console?

I mean, its not really hard to see the other angle of this.
 

diffusionx

Gold Member
Just because I'm a consumer with no affiliation to MS doesn't mean that I think it's cool to break legally binding contracts related to my preferred hobby.

This. If it's part of the contract, I can't have any sympathy for the people who broke it.

Also: some of us actually are shareholders, but that's another story.
 

Nori Chan

Member
NDA or not. They shouldn't make the console itself unusable. Idc. Ban them from any future beta or early game invites but I think it's horrible they can do this
They should sue the crap out of them

and leave them their xbox ones. is that what you want lol
 
The secrecy of this stuff is ridiculous.

I do agree with this. Its a problem in the entire industry. It's way too hush hush, NDA everywhere, silent.

In comparison to the film industry its night and day. Not that there aren't NDA's there as well but film is far more open than the gaming industry.
 

DNAbro

Member
Imagine how ridiculously powerful you've allowed the marketing arm of your company to become that they can say "You ruined our plans, so we're breaking your shit.".

IT'S A REMASTER OF A 9 YEAR OLD GAME. That everyone already knew was coming anyway. Fucking idiots. Get your head out of your arse MS, for once.

when you sign a contract you take that shit seriously. It's not a "marketing" thing. It's a legal contract. These people can get sued out of their ass for breaking it.
 

Omikaru

Member
Banning an XBL account for breaching NDA? Sure. Banning the console from connecting to XBL? That's fine too. MS owns the service and can ban whoever and whatever they want from connecting to it.

I also wouldn't object to legal action, since the NDA is a contract that the users broke. That's fair and square.

But bricking a console so it can't be used at all, no matter what the user did, is bullshit. They paid money for that console, and it should be useable in offline mode regardless of its ability to connect to XBL.

Microsoft shouldn't have that level of control over the hardware people have purchased.
 

BLunted

Banned
Think a bricked console is getting off pretty lightly. A few of my previous jobs required me to sign NDA's, and I would have ended up in litigation if I had violated them.

SMH at all the people who think MS is overreacting. Are you guys little kids or something, not knowing how the real world works?
 

Hip Hop

Member
As much as I love schadenfreude and how it makes me roll around in pure delight - being able to remotely brick someone's system should be illegal as fuck. "They broke an NDA" is absolutely no excuse to justify a company having that kind of ability. Breaking an NDA should have real consequences, but that kind of action should never, ever be built into a piece of hardware.

So you would feel much better in them getting hit with a lawsuit, potentially worth thousands instead of what they got?
 

PBY

Banned
Microsoft punishes gears leaker with killing his parents. Its okay. He signed a nda.

I mean... They're getting paid for it man. You can't just leak secrets from your work. Its also a light punishment, considering that they probably didn't buy those consoles.
 

Chris1

Member
Are people really saying bricking their consoles is a bit extreme?

They got let off lightly lol. They should be glad, think of it as a $350 fine. That's weak compared to what could have happened.
 

Ploid 3.0

Member
I mean more that it's just kind of weird. I had no idea consoles could even be remotely bricked.

I'm wondering, can sony do this because I'm not ok with that being possible. Make it so they can't boot the beta or game not the whole darn system. What the heck.

Sue them if you want to send a message. So what other reason will they wield this power to brick? When you get banned, play a game too early, or whatever else?
 

Compsiox

Banned
I do agree with this. Its a problem in the entire industry. It's way too hush hush, NDA everywhere, silent.

In comparison to the film industry its night and day. Not that there aren't NDA's there as well but film is far more open than the gaming industry.

Then there would be nothing to get excited about. Like if people are hearing about a game the moment it starts development by the time it comes out no one will want it.
 
Yep. These people messed up big time and had this coming, but just thinking about how easy it is for these companies to pull the plug on an account or render your console unusable is pretty intimidating. Welcome to the digital future, I suppose.

If you don't break a NDA then there's nothing to worry about. I think you're being a bit paranoid assuming big bad Microsoft is going to start bricking consoles for no reason.
 
NDAs aren't from "marketing."

No, but it's the mentality of "our PR plans are so meticulous and essential that this people deserve the ULTIMATE SMACKDOWN".

Lose the gig? Well, yeah, no shit. And they'd deserve it, if they signed an NDA. And that's what would normally happen. But obviously that wasn't enough, and so Microsoft fucked up their personal possessions.

The thought crossed their mind because this is the mentality of big game publishers. Their marketing is their baby, and if you dare ruin the moment they get to walk out of the hospital with it coddled in their arms, well, how could you.
 

ido

Member
While it's a light punishment considering what they (probably) could do to them, surely people are concerned that Microsoft has the power to completely brick any console at will?
 

Shads

Member
Welcome to the corporate world. Likely there's a NDA involved if they're contracted to test this, but don't know what it involves. If there's likelihood where they believe they're taking the beta build back home, then they have every right to block their system if the NDA deems so. Just look at Apple, they have a kill switch on every iPhone/iPad out there and can brick your device if needed to and there's no NDA signed for that.
 

SeanTSC

Member
So you would feel much better in them getting hit with a lawsuit, potentially worth thousands instead of what they got?

Over letting Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, Apple, Samsung, or anyone else being allowed to have a fucking Kill Switch built into their hardware?

Absolutely. Every day of the week, month, year. No one should ever have that type of power.
 

PBY

Banned
No, but it's the mentality of "our PR plans are so meticulous and essential that this people deserve the ULTIMATE SMACKDOWN".

Lose the gig? Well, yeah, no shit. And they'd deserve it, if they signed an NDA. And that's what would normally happen. But obviously that wasn't enough, and so Microsoft fucked up their personal possessions.

The thought crossed their mind because this is the mentality of big game publishers. Their marketing is their baby, and if you dare ruin the moment they get to walk out of the hospital with it coddled in their arms, well, how could you.

MS probably provided those consoles. Also, what.
 
Then there would be nothing to get excited about. Like if people are hearing about a game the moment it starts development by the time it comes out no one will want it.

That's exactly how it is in film. I mean hell we have tons of pictures on set of upcoming films like Captain America. Guess what its still going to do massive business.

I'm fine with stuff like NDA's existing and keeping some stuff silent. I do take some issue though with how EVERYTHING is locked down in this industry.
 
Banning their console until the beta period has passed seems like the most logical and fair solution to prevent further leaks. Why did this generate outrage?
 

ShinMaruku

Member
Then there would be nothing to get excited about. Like if people are hearing about a game the moment it starts development by the time it comes out no one will want it.

On the other hand publishers are shit at managing expectations. It's never so simple. That said they signed the nda. :p
 
I'm with MS on this one. That crap is unprofessional.

If I leaked product development info at F5, not only would I be fired immediately, I would probably also be prosecuted
 

Welfare

Member
Cross posting.

They have to also add that a Lightmass Bomb is targeted at your house and will be fired if you leak GoW.
 

Compsiox

Banned
I mean... They're getting paid for it man. You can't just leak secrets from your work. Its also a light punishment, considering that they probably didn't buy those consoles.

VMC doesn't buy you consoles. You take part in tests for devices you own already.
 

Palocca

Member
I mean... They're getting paid for it man. You can't just leak secrets from your work. Its also a light punishment, considering that they probably didn't buy those consoles.

Nah, I'm 90% sure these tests were conducted on personal consoles. But even then, it's still a light punishment. They could be facing litigation.
 

halfbeast

Banned
during the LBP beta Media Molecule confessed in an interview, that they can brick your console, if they wanted to. so, yeah, I'd be extra cautious about what information you want to share.
 
Banning an XBL account for breaching NDA? Sure. Banning the console from connecting to XBL? That's fine too. MS owns the service and can ban whoever and whatever they want from connecting to it.

I also wouldn't object to legal action, since the NDA is a contract that the users broke. That's fair and square.

But bricking a console so it can't be used at all, no matter what the user did, is bullshit. They paid money for that console, and it should be useable in offline mode regardless of its ability to connect to XBL.

Microsoft shouldn't have that level of control over the hardware people have purchased.

This.

Are people really saying bricking their consoles is a bit extreme?

They got let off lightly lol. They should be glad, think of it as a $350 fine. That's weak compared to what could have happened.

Agreed they probably got off lightly. I'd say some are saying the ability to remotely do it is extreme. They shouldn't have the ability to do this, especially with the history of mass bans over things like just playing a purchased game early.
 

luka

Loves Robotech S1
If you don't break a NDA then there's nothing to worry about. I think you're being a bit paranoid assuming big bad Microsoft is going to start bricking consoles for no reason.

i don't have an xbone and i never had any plans to get one, but the fact that it's even a possibility for them makes me uncomfortable...let alone the fact that few seem to even care.
 
Imagine how ridiculously powerful you've allowed the marketing arm of your company to become that they can say "You ruined our plans, so we're breaking your shit.".

IT'S A REMASTER OF A 9 YEAR OLD GAME. That everyone already knew was coming anyway. Fucking idiots. Get your head out of your arse MS, for once.

What in the name of common decency are you babbling on about? A NON DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT is a legally binding contract. If you sign it and break, you reap the consequences.

Reading comprehension, how does it work.
 

Hip Hop

Member
There is no reason MS should have the ability to remote brick a console.

They signed up to test a product that is not out yet.

I really don't see a problem with it.

This isn't normal occurrence, they were under a very special environment.
 

hodgy100

Member
NDA or not. They shouldn't make the console itself unusable. Idc. Ban them from any future beta or early game invites but I think it's horrible they can do this

this isnt just a beta. its professional games testing. you get paid for it and sign a legally binding document to participate. they are lucky just their consoles were bricked.
 

FluxWaveZ

Member
No, but it's the mentality of "our PR plans are so meticulous and essential that this people deserve the ULTIMATE SMACKDOWN".

Lose the gig? Well, yeah, no shit. And they'd deserve it, if they signed an NDA. And that's what would normally happen. But obviously that wasn't enough, and so Microsoft fucked up their personal possessions.

The thought crossed their mind because this is the mentality of big game publishers. Their marketing is their baby, and if you dare ruin the moment they get to walk out of the hospital with it coddled in their arms, well, how could you.

You sound like you've never actually worked on a project that wasn't meant to be known to the public before.

I thought your first comment was sarcasm, but wow.
 
I would imagine these are special consoles given to them for the purposes of testing?

You break a contract you deserve the punishment. A usless console for 6 months or until it is taken away is better than 50k fine or whatever damage Microsoft could claim.
 

a916

Member
Why is everyone so against the leakers? So MS can't show the game unannounced now with maximum hype. Why do you care? You're consumers, not shareholders.

Maybe there's people that don't care about either and are for the legality of everything here and who's in the right...
 
Lose the gig? Well, yeah, no shit. And they'd deserve it, if they signed an NDA. And that's what would normally happen. But obviously that wasn't enough, and so Microsoft fucked up their personal possessions.

LOL what are you basing that on? It's quite likely that the terms of the NDA leave them open to far more severe action than losing their job, and Microsoft or VMC would be totally justified in pursuing that.

This is not at all uncommon in the software industry and hardly unique to video games or to Microsoft.
 
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