Microsoft must also pay approximately $400 in damages to the user.
A single Xbox gamer has apparently won a major judgment against Microsoft, which forces the tech giant to restore the user’s suspended Xbox account and accompanying library of video games. In a post on Reddit, Ordo_Liberal said a Brazilian court ordered Microsoft to reverse its decision to revoke access to the user’s account and library after the hack. Woozad has contacted Microsoft for comment and will update this story if we receive a response.
The saga began three months ago according to Ordo_Liberal, who detailed the situation on Reddit, explaining that Microsoft had frozen his account after “unauthorized access” and said the “only option we have is to permanently suspend this account to prevent further use.” Instead of creating a new account and building a digital library from scratch, Ordo_Liberal filed a lawsuit against Microsoft.
The player explained on Reddit that hiring a public defendant to sue Microsoft was free thanks to Brazil’s position in consumer protection cases. According to the ruling, Microsoft has 15 days to restore access to Ordo_Liberal’s account, or face a penalty of 150 reais, or about $30 per day, until the solution is resolved, with a cap of 1,500 reais (about $300). The court also ordered Microsoft to pay 2,000 reais, or about $400, to Ordo_Liberal. This case may not have as much financial impact as similar class action lawsuits, but it could offer a glimmer of hope to many consumers who are increasingly concerned about companies’ shift to digital-only libraries.
