Microsoft threatens console bans in wake of Gears of War Judgment leak

Gears of War Judgment isn’t due out until March 22nd on the Xbox 360. So how did pirates get their hands on the game over a month ahead of schedule? The upcoming prequel from Epic Games recently hit the web, and Microsoft vowed to take vigorous action against those that choose to play the pirated version of this game.

In a recent statement, Microsoft explained that downloading and playing this game is illegal, and they will take action against those that do so.

“Consumers should be aware that piracy is illegal and we take vigorous action against illegal activity related to our products and services. Playing pirated copies of games, such as Gears of War:Judgment, is a violation of the Xbox Live Terms of Use and will result in enforcement action, such as account and console bans.”

These are no veiled threats either. Microsoft has taken similar actions against piracy earlier in the life of the Xbox 360. A few years back, Halo saw a similar leak in which Microsoft banned those playing the game early.