The small number of gamers out there using modded consoles are feeling the wrath of Microsoft.

A Spokesman for the company told IGN: "We have taken against a small percentage of consoles that have been modified to play pirated game discs. In line with our commitment to combat and support safer and more secure gameplay for the more than 20 million members of our LIVE community, we are suspending these modded consoles from Xbox LIVE."

Those targeted gamers woke up only to find that their accounts have been totally revoked from Xbox LIVE. The Spokesperson from went on to discuss the fact that these actions would not only result in banning of accounts, due to Xbox LIVE terms of use violations, but that it also violates the users warranty.

So for those of you playing pirated games, let this be a lesson that crime doesnt pay and, more importantly, that Big Brother Microsoft is not aloof to your wrongdoings.

By Andy Martin