Xbox Live will take 'vigorous actions' against pirates

An image from Reddit user Storm360 claims to be the result of an Xbox Live permanent ban for pirating and playing Halo 4.

The image is a screenshot of an alleged email from the Xbox Live team, which states the suspension as the result of "prerelease title play." In response to the image, Microsoft told Polygon the following:

"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 Halo 4, is a violation of the Xbox LIVE Terms of Use and will result in enforcement action, such as account and console bans."

Xbox Live users who receive a permanent ban are no longer able to log into Xbox Live and will not have their privileges reinstated.

Rumors of a Halo 4 leak began on Friday, when images and videos began to surface on NeoGAF and YouTube. In a recent interview with Polygon, 343 studios appeared unfazed by the apparent leak.