Microsoft has confirmed that they are banning Baldur’s Gate 3 players on Xbox for automatically uploading videos containing in-game adult content. However, they are willing to retract suspensions if they were made in error and advise users to disable the auto-upload feature to prevent further bans.

Last week, it came to light that Baldur’s Gate 3 players were being banned for utilizing an Xbox-approved feature in a manner that might violate Microsoft’s policies. Larian Studios promptly reassured fans that they were collaborating with Microsoft to address these “annoying and uncool” suspensions. Affected users were informed that their bans would be lifted, and the work to resolve this issue is ongoing.

A week later, Microsoft acknowledged the situation in a social media statement. They clarified that Xbox account suspensions are not automatic; each clip is reviewed by a moderator, and if it’s found to breach safety and content guidelines, actions are taken accordingly.

Unfortunately, it seems Microsoft is not using this incident to reflect on and modify its policies and practices – for instance, changing the auto-upload to an opt-in feature, or disabling auto-uploads for mature-rated games. Instead, they continue to put the onus of responsibility on the players.

Microsoft’s statement continued, explaining that their team assesses appeals and can reverse suspensions if made mistakenly. For first-time offenses, the suspension will be removed, and players will be informed about the reason behind it and how to avoid future issues, such as turning off auto-upload when capturing sensitive content. Instructions on how to disable auto-uploads on Xbox consoles were also provided.

The transition of Baldur’s Gate 3 to Xbox has not been smooth, with console players also experiencing save issues. Larian has offered a temporary fix while awaiting a more permanent solution from Microsoft. Despite these challenges, Baldur’s Gate 3 remains a standout title of 2023 on any console, and likely a highlight of 2024, given its immense scale, as both Eurogamer and its readers affirmed in their year-end round-ups.

Source: Eurogamer