Switch Lights

The lights are on

GameInformer

What's Happening

Slothjaw commented on Mike Futter's post about Former EA CEO John Riccitiello Has Suggestions For Sony And Microsoft.
Aswitch commented on Matt Miller's post about What Xbox Franchises Should Return On The Next Xbox?.
Paratrooper1n0 commented on Matt Miller's post about What Xbox Franchises Should Return On The Next Xbox?.
bunnyking commented on Mike Futter's post about Former EA CEO John Riccitiello Has Suggestions For Sony And Microsoft.
Marco Polo commented on Mike Futter's post about Former EA CEO John Riccitiello Has Suggestions For Sony And Microsoft.
Chance Boege commented on Slardybartfast8's post about re: A Day Before Microsoft's Party, Sony Teases PS4 Design.
WUMBOL0GY commented on Waryer's post about re: What Xbox Franchises Should Return On The Next Xbox?.
Pistachio commented on Mike Futter's post about Former EA CEO John Riccitiello Has Suggestions For Sony And Microsoft.
The_Spaz commented on Canis_Major's post about re: A Day Before Microsoft's Party, Sony Teases PS4 Design.
The_Spaz commented on Zoidberg's post about re: A Day Before Microsoft's Party, Sony Teases PS4 Design.
TeCh commented on Mike Futter's post about Rhode Island To Dispense With Amalur Property Soon.
smittyg74 commented on Matt Miller's post about What Xbox Franchises Should Return On The Next Xbox?.
CommanderShephard commented on Matt Miller's post about What Xbox Franchises Should Return On The Next Xbox?.
Ninjuhz commented on The Destroyer's post about re: Iwata Teases Smash Bros., 3D Mario game, And Mario Kart For Upcoming Nintendo Direct.
The_Spaz commented on ereb's post about re: A Day Before Microsoft's Party, Sony Teases PS4 Design.

UPDATE: Microsoft Labels Autistic Boy A Cheater On Xbox Live

News

by Jeff Cork on January 31, 2011 at 06:35 PM

71,970 Views

383

UPDATE: The mother of the 11-year-old autistic boy who previously insisted her child did not cheat to get achievements has now admitted she was aware of foul play.

Mother Jennifer Zdenek knew that her child, Julius Jackson, gave his Xbox Live Gamertag information to a fellow player in another city, who then used forbidden methods to unlock Halo 3 Recon armor. The mother has now confessed to Q13 Fox News after receiving the following email from head of Xbox Live enforcement, Stephen Toulouse.

"The account Zombie Kill67 transferred from the Xbox it is normally seen on, to an Xbox in another city. The account earned several achievements for Halo 3 that can only be done online and in succession. It was clear they were unlocked out of order and offline. Earning successive online achievements out of order and offline is an impossible feat, not due to skill, but due to the technology of the system. It can only be done by modifying the account and faking the achievements."

Zdenek admits she knew her son gave his XBL info to another gamer, but doesn't think the child is to blame. "I did warn him about this but seeing it wasn't a bank password or anything big, it's just a game we didn't worry about it too much and the boy just offered to give him Recon Armor, which he did," she said. Her battle with Microsoft is over, and she's settling for a free month of XBL and fresh Gamertag.

Watch the video below to see how her perception of Xbox Live went from being her son's "only friend" while she had a news channel's attention, to "just a game" when the truth surfaced.

[via Escapist]

ORIGINAL STORY: There's a bit of a she-said, they-said situation going on near Seattle, with the mom of an 11-year-old boy saying Microsoft reset his gamerscore unfairly and the company saying it was done because he was cheating. Regardless of the truth, the boy has been branded a cheater on Xbox Live and has to earn whatever achievements he had before all over again.

Jennifer Zdenek told Q13 FOX News that her son Julius Jackson went online recently only to discover that his gamerscore had been reset and his account branded as belonging to a cheater. She contacted the company, only to be told that the boy was cheating – which he denies – and that the reset could not be reversed. That's when she took her story to the media.

Zdenek says her son is autistic and that playing games on Xbox Live is his only social outlet. Because of this, she says, he's been devastated by what's happened.

Thanks for the tip, Jeff.

Email the author Jeff Cork, or follow on Twitter, Google+, Facebook, and Game Informer.

Filed under: News, Microsoft, Xbox Live, cheating

Comments

sort by date:

by Alphonsus Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 10:20 AM

I don't know how this came to be, but if he was in fact cheating, doesn't inputting cheat codes negate the achievement gain? Or is that so for just some games?
by amelio_rocky1 Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 10:23 AM

The actions of Xbox Live here are horrible and dispicable...what would make them do such a thing?
by Fr33St00 Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 10:24 AM

He probably wasn't cheating but his friends, relatives, etc. Probably was.
by Caleb Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 10:26 AM

Hopefully this was just a lowlevel decision about to be replaced by a highlevel reimbursement.
by Jason Carman Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 10:27 AM

if he was cheating then yes he should be labeled a "cheater" regardless of his condition. however i didnt catch exactly what he did to be get such label....unless i missed that part
by TheOpethAffinity Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 10:27 AM

Man, that's just rotten! Couldn't they have at least investigated the situation a little more thoroughly before branding the child as a "Cheater"?
by FAMESREVENGE Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 10:30 AM

Im sorry but the sad part of this story is not that he lost the achievements. It is the fact that his only outlet is video games. There are many outlets and support groups for children with autism, perhaps mom should look into those instead of trying to turn this into some major injustice.
by Steven Carusone Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 10:30 AM

If their system caught his profile cheating its perfectly legal and unbiased to erase his gamerscore and label him as such under their terms of usage for xbox live. Its nothing personal to the boy. Don't blame the company. His life shouldn't be ruined because xbox live thinks he cheated.
by shiny Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 10:30 AM

That's because every pc is made in the absence of love. Without this love factor bill gates ensures that customers are generally dissatisfied. And this poor boy was just another victim of Microsoft.
by Wraith31337 Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 10:31 AM

Not cool. Sounds like Microsoft needs to do a better job here. I have no problem with penalties for cheaters/hackers but they should be able to reverse it if they screw up or have a better system for investigating for something. I know if my score ever got reset when I didn't do anything to cause it I would be furious. Its not so much the score as it is the record of everything I have accomplished with my time on video games. Its really cool to have.
by oriongamer Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 10:32 AM

There are elements undefined, how and by what means was he cheating? There are many ways he could of cheated, and of course he would deniy he did, they claim to have un deniable proof when the do this for cheating so im sure they had a good reason, for doing so and really it is a he said she said thing. Just 2 days ago I saw a 2 year old accout that had tons of games and only 40 gamer score wonder if it was the same one. btw notice how every game was an M title.
by Ted Anderson Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 10:33 AM

In the end does it really matter that much to go and take down all of your achievments? they just show you have done certain things in the game. Thats just stupid!
by Stryker96 Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 10:34 AM

xBox Live will never get my money, and this is exactly why. It makes me upset to hear this. xBox, you had a little respect around me and my gaming friends, but now, you are just a bunch of buttheads.
by ZHarris93 Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 10:35 AM

Why do they neglect to mention what he did? We are definitely missing a major part of this.
by LaLiLuLeLo Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 10:40 AM

LMAO....i love how they have "cheater" under his gamertag. i didnt know they did that. anyway, feel bad for the kid.
by ChrisBobb Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 10:42 AM

"This is my son's life." "If they don't fix this I'll think of cancelling the account." I don't follow your logic...
by HeartBreak13 Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 10:42 AM

Look, my heart goes out to this kid. But come on, Microsoft isn't gonna ask "hey, are you autistic?" before they drop the hammer. If you pay for Xbox Live, you have to play by their rules. Sucks, but it's true.
by Krisp215 Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 10:43 AM

I highly doubt he was cheating. He's an 11 year old boy who's only source of fun in his condiction is gaming. You're not thinking about ways to cheat at that age. All a little boy wants to do is play.
by Haiden Goodman Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 10:43 AM

As someone with Asperger's, I can understand having video games be his only outlet for being social. It's hard for others to understand, but I understand this kid beign devestated.