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Thousands of gamers have been barred from playing Xbox Live by Microsoft in an attempt to clamp down on piracy.
The US computing giant said it had banned the consoles because owners had modified the equipment to play games without paying for them.
People whose Xboxes have been blocked will have to buy new machines if they want to connect to Xbox Live.
The internet service allows the 20 million gamers signed up to compete against each other via the web.
Fans of Microsoft's Xbox system can still play games off-line if their console has been blocked from Xbox Live. The company would not say exactly how many customers are affected although reports suggest the number could be as high as one million.
A Microsoft spokesman said: "We've been actively banning consoles from Xbox Live that have been modified to play pirated games.
"Our commitment to combat piracy and support safer and more secure gameplay for the more than 20 million members of our Xbox Live community remains a top priority.
"All consumers should know that modifying their Xbox 360 console to play pirated discs, violates the Xbox Live terms of use, will void their warranty and result in a ban from Xbox Live.
"The health of the video game business depends on customers paying for the genuine products and services they receive from manufacturers, retailers, and the third parties that support them.
"This would also be a good time to remind people that the warranty on an Xbox 360 console is not transferable and if you purchase a used console that has been previously banned, you will not be able to connect to Xbox Live."
The US computing giant said it had banned the consoles because owners had modified the equipment to play games without paying for them.
People whose Xboxes have been blocked will have to buy new machines if they want to connect to Xbox Live.
The internet service allows the 20 million gamers signed up to compete against each other via the web.
Fans of Microsoft's Xbox system can still play games off-line if their console has been blocked from Xbox Live. The company would not say exactly how many customers are affected although reports suggest the number could be as high as one million.
A Microsoft spokesman said: "We've been actively banning consoles from Xbox Live that have been modified to play pirated games.
"Our commitment to combat piracy and support safer and more secure gameplay for the more than 20 million members of our Xbox Live community remains a top priority.
"All consumers should know that modifying their Xbox 360 console to play pirated discs, violates the Xbox Live terms of use, will void their warranty and result in a ban from Xbox Live.
"The health of the video game business depends on customers paying for the genuine products and services they receive from manufacturers, retailers, and the third parties that support them.
"This would also be a good time to remind people that the warranty on an Xbox 360 console is not transferable and if you purchase a used console that has been previously banned, you will not be able to connect to Xbox Live."
