For the past ten days or so, it appeared as if Microsoft might be deactivating inactive accounts for its popular Developer Mode for Xbox consoles and Windows. Today, Director of Project Management at Xbox, Jason Ronald, Tweeted that the deactivations were accidental and they are looking into restoring them. "We have no plans to remove or disable Developer Mode on Xbox consoles," stated Ronald unequivocally. "We continue to believe in and support a healthy independent app and game development community on Xbox." He goes on to say if your account was affected, you can email them at [email protected] to have it restored faster.

Several posts had appeared on social media questioning an email from Microsoft informing them their Developer account has been suspended due to inactivity, usually with at least one other person responding to confirm they also received the email. Last week, reddit user u/The Axodoxian posted an email they received informing them of the suspension, and Twitter user @Nanjizal_net posted the same email on the same day. GBAtemp user @tech3475 also posted a thread on our forums about the same thing.

The email allegedly redirects users to the Code of Conduct for Developer Mode, which does stipulate that Developer accounts need to stay in good standing, including "staying active in the Store," though exactly what defines active or inactive is not specified. The Code of Conduct page has also not been updated since September 28, 2021, so while the policy may have existed for some time, it appears that Microsoft has only recently started to enforce it.

Developer Mode has been popular on the Xbox consoles as it allowed users to run Retroarch and emulators on their Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S consoles with only a small fee required to get a Developer account. Many saw it as a clever way for Microsoft to allow hardcore users to run emulators without the need to modify their consoles, severely limiting the number of people interested in hacking the two most recent Xbox consoles.

 

[Dr_Faustus]

Shocking. Developer Accounts should be used for developing games.

Considering the fact that people who want to opt in for an account has to pay an additional $19 to get it, if they turn around and start kicking people off of it for no specified reason or lack of rule breaking. That could easily open the floodgates to lawsuits out the arse.

People already tend to forget what happened with Sony when they removed the OtherOS option from the PS3 for "security enhancements". It caused an outcry loud enough a class action lawsuit determined that Sony basically removed a selling point feature to those who bought the OG PS3 and were forced to pay everyone back a small portion of cash who were in the lawsuit. Simply said if you remove something from people despite paying for its use, you are going to have a bad time with the legal system.

 

[Osha]

Something tells me this was as much of a "screw up" as when they mentioned how they were gonna increase the price of their subscription service and backed down on the grounds of "we heard you and were never planning to do so, it was just a mistake". So, testing the grounds and seeing if they could get away with it.

 

[Lv44ES_Burner]

This just in: company doing house cleaning ahead of Spring 2022 (current year) shoots self in foot doing so, makes complete 180 and about-faces to correct course so as not to offend possible buyer base and current user base. They have been arraigned in Jungle Superior Court; in a moment, the results of that trial.

 

[godreborn]

Something tells me this was as much of a "screw up" as when they mentioned how they were gonna increase the price of their subscription service and backed down on the grounds of "we heard you and were never planning to do so, it was just a mistake". So, testing the grounds and seeing if they could get away with it.

That's pretty much what I think too. My series x is ready for pickup, so glad I didn't cancel.

 

[Dominator211]

What a screwup! Glad it was just a mistake

I wanna know how a screw up like this happens in the first place.

 

[EvilJagaGenius]

I think I will wait and see whether or not they keep the "release something within 90 days" policy. As mentioned in the other thread I really don't think that's good for creativity and encouraging people to experiment with console dev. Can't tell if these tweets say they're ditching that policy or not.

 

[AngryCinnabon]

Thank goodness this was just an error! it wasn't harming anyone and was making decent profit for microsoft. Looks like we won't be having another OtherOS disaster!

 

[Kioku]

I wanna know how a screw up like this happens in the first place.

Well, if they have a 90 day policy, I doubt it was a screw up. Just them catching up. They probably caught legitimate dev accounts in the crossfire.

 

[tech3475]

I think I will wait and see whether or not they keep the "release something within 90 days" policy. As mentioned in the other thread I really don't think that's good for creativity and encouraging people to experiment with console dev. Can't tell if these tweets say they're ditching that policy or not.

I wonder if people at MS realise that it could just get the store to be flooded with rubbish? If/when I get my access back, my first plan is to write the dumbest app I can just for a laugh.

 

[|<roni&g]

They need to disable the online paywall next. I only buy when it's cheap and my £1 sub ends at end of Jan

 

[ZeroFX]

I think MVG just didn't do proper research and jumped to assumptions with this one - I mean, "Microsoft is taking away dev-mode!" is a stretchy claim to make when all we have is a single GBATemp thread and a bunch of isolated instances.

This guy's kinda a joke in my humble opinion.

 

[subcon959]

This guy's kinda a joke in my humble opinion.

He's a fantastic dev, he just gets carried away sometimes when he tries to do reaction videos.

 

[Kioku]

He's a fantastic dev, he just gets carried away sometimes when he tries to do reaction videos.

I don't know about getting carried away... He just tries to stay ahead of the game.

 

[godreborn]

the series x does have a lot going for it, and this is a big one. the series x could be up there with the wii u and the vita in terms of being fantastic emulation boxes. don't know yet, probably won't install dev mode 'til this weekend or next week as I'm waiting on a 15ft cable. think both the ps5 and the series x use the same power cable, the figure eight one, but I need a really long one to reach a power outlet, so I bought a cable for the ps2 and 3 slims, which should also be the same.

 

[ChibiMofo]

For me, dev mode is the biggest feature of current Xbox, because the thing has no games made for itself, so they should keep Mega Drive, Dreamcast and other actually good systems making their platform more fun.

Not that this current generation is struggling to sell or anything (it is more of the opposite), but the lack of games, either released or announced, is absurd at this point.

Maybe both Sony and Microsoft have learned that if they want to make real money they need to make their games for the PC Masterace. I mean I could play MSFT exclusive MSFS and Forza Horizon 5 on the new Xbox, but why would I? My 2020 PC plays them better than the new Xboxes ever will. As for Sony's "exclusives," who cares?

 

[the_randomizer]

This guy's kinda a joke in my humble opinion.

No need to get triggered because he's a dev and you're not

 

[ZeroFX]

DONT YOU DARE, ITS MY YOUTUBER!!1!

who got triggered?

He's a fantastic dev, he just gets carried away sometimes when he tries to do reaction videos.

he's nice i'm subbed to him, also used some of his shit back in the day, and you're right when it comes to developing and documenting he's very good, but he takes a lot to the heart and it almost looks like a joke.

 

[zoogie]

People are jumping the gun in assuming MS has reversed stance on the dev deactivations:



Jason Ronald's very words were: "no plans on discontinuing developer mode" for consoles, he didn't say they're stopping the "publish or perish - 90 day edition" for individual accounts policy. It's always important to read what spokespeople say carefully, like a legal document.

 

[Kioku]

People are jumping the gun in assuming MS has reversed stance on the dev deactivations:



Jason Ronald's very words were: "no plans on discontinuing developer mode" for consoles, he didn't say they're stopping the "publish or perish - 90 day edition" for individual accounts policy. It's always important to read what spokespeople say carefully, like a legal document.

Was wondering about this. Didn't specifically know there was a 90 day policy, but I'm not the only one.

 

[eyeliner]

So? Put something on the store, and flag it as beta, or something. repeat each 90 days...
Like Google, keep things in beta for a ridiculous amount of years...