Xbox will now ban players for a year if they swear too much

Xbox has rolled out a new enforcement strike system that targets bad behavior and can lead to a lengthy account ban.

Companies across the industry continue to fight bad behavior on all fronts within their communities. The likes of Activision, Electronic Arts, and Ubisoft are trying to clamp down on cheating and hacking in their multiplayer games with anti-cheat measures.

Meanwhile, the likes of Sony and Microsoft aim to protect the users of their hardware from online harassment and related issues. In late 2020, for instance, PlayStation players noticed that Sony had suddenly stopped allowing the use of profanity in tweets shared from PS4 and PS5 consoles.

Microsoft’s latest steps on this front go a few steps beyond introducing a profanity filter.

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Xbox’s new strike system will ban users for swearing too much

In an Xbox Wire post, CVP of Xbox Player Services, Dave McCarthy, detailed the platform’s all-new strike system, which intends to stifle bad behavior. McCarthy wrote, “We are constantly improving our safety measures and bringing more systems and tools in place that empower players to respectfully interact with one another.”

As such, the latest measure adds strikes to a user’s account for each enforcement; said strikes will range in severity based on the prohibited activity. Since the system is just rolling out today, everyone receives a clean slate starting at zero infractions.

The blog post features a graphic listing examples of the type of “inappropriate activities” that may result in a strike. Profanity will lead to one strike – the same with cheating. Meanwhile, sexually inappropriate behavior, harassment, or bullying can net two strikes per offense. Hate speech will land a player three strikes.

McCarthy likened the system to demerit strikes used for driver’s licenses. As such, Xbox will ban someone who receives two strikes for one day. Four strikes culminate in a seven-day suspension. Upon hitting eight strikes, offenders will be suspended from all Xbox social features for 12 months. Each strike will remain on a user’s record for no more than six months.

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The blog entry advises all Xbox users to brush up on the platform’s Community Standards and encourages anyone who spots inappropriate behavior to file a report.

Not unlike in the past, anyone who believes they’ve been wrongly punished can appeal a strike by submitting a case review.