http://www.q13fox.com/news/kcpq-xbox-labels-autistic-child-01252011,0,5767271.story

FUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hate sensationalist stories like this. The kid cheated. Even Stepto had to get involved and confirm that there were illegally obtained achievements, but the above news story makes it seem like Microsoft is TEH DEVIL!

im kinda curious as to how he cheated to be honest. not saying he didnt i just want to know how. would make it much easier if she or microsoft would pubilicy show us what was sent or how he was cheating. that being said, if he did cheat as they say then this is not news. cheating knows no age and if your caught you pay the penalty just like the rest of us. from the looks of it though he cheated and got caught, now he just needs to own up and tell his mommy that he did

Stepto and the enforcement team got in touch with the parent about the illegitimate achievements. It's within the kid's privacy to not be publicly outed as to WHAT achievements he cheated, but I would suspect it's probably call of duty related.

Cheating is cheating, period.

Stepto and the enforcement team got in touch with the parent about the illegitimate achievements. It's within the kid's privacy to not be publicly outed as to WHAT achievements he cheated, but I would suspect it's probably call of duty related.

Cheating is cheating, period.

oh yeah i know they wont go public with it, i just htink it would be interesting to know is all. and yes cheating is cheating, doesnt matter the age or mental disability

You know what?

I -hate- sensationalist media. I also dislike the whole "special snowflake" syndrome that's out there. NOTE: I AM NOT BASHING IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM ANYONE WITH ANY DISABILITY OR HANDICAP BE IT MENTAL OR PHYSICAL.

You cheat. You get the hammer. End of story.

I'd really like the new outlet to report the fact that the twitter account of the mom supposedly says that a 3rd party was allowed access to Julias' account to get Recon armor for Halo. *DING* -Cheating-

You know? This reminds me of something........

Grandpa Joe: I just wanted to ask about the chocolate - The-the lifetime supply of chocolate, for Charlie. Wh-When does he get it?

Wonka: He doesn't

Grandpa Joe: Why not?

Wonka: Because he broke the rules.

Grandpa Joe: What rules? We didn't see any rules, did we, Charlie?

Wonka: Wrong, sir! Wrong! Under section 37B of the contract signed by him, it states quite clearly that all offers shall become null and void if - and you can read it for yourself in this photostatic copy: I, the undersigned, shall forfeit all rights, privileges, and licenses herein and herein contained, et cetera, et cetera... Fax mentis incendium gloria cultum, et cetera, et cetera... Memo bis punitor delicatum! It's all there, black and white, clear as crystal! You stole fizzy lifting drinks! You bumped into the ceiling which now has to be washed and sterilized, so you get nothing!

You lose!

Good day, sir!

*points to the Willy Wonka quote and notes that this is the end of discussion*

The kid cheated. Xbox doesn't "randomly" brand kids as cheaters. Whether it's illegally obtaining Recon armor in Halo, 10th Prestige if Call of Duty, or whatever. The fact remains that it was CHEATED.

As a hunter you don't BUY deer meat from the store, smoke it at home and tell your friends that you made your own deer jerky with your blood, sweat and tears as you sat outside for days and days in a treehouse waiting for the perfect deer to cross into the sights of your weapon as you took the perfect shot to end its life. It's the same on Xbox Live. You don't log online and stand in front of your friends in your glorious Recon armor and bask in the compliments about how long it took you to get that when you know you actually DIDN'T EARN IT.

Cheaters never win.

i never thought id see the day that a willy wonka quote would be useful.

i never thought id see the day that a willy wonka quote would be useful.

Willy Wonka or not. Truth is truth. LoL

Willy Wonka or not. Truth is truth. LoL

i know, but from wonka of all the people to say it. man

Hey,

At least Microsoft gave the kid a free month of Xbox Live. It's more than any other cheater would have received.

Also, as the Wonka quote, it was the first thing that popped into my head. Sorta like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.

The kid is responsible for cheating, but the media just decided to blow it out of proportion.

The kid is responsible for cheating, but the media just decided to blow it out of proportion.

Exactly. The media saw autism and jumped. IMHO -both- mother and the child are responsible as well.

The article has also been updated: Thankfully

Microsoft says the boys achievements were obtained fraudulently and today, in an email to his mom the company offered proof.

Stephen Toulouse, Microsoft's Director of Police and Enforcement wrote, "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."

It's an Xbox Crime that could have only been committed with Julias' gamertag and password.

Now Julias' mother, Jennifer Zdenek, says her son did give his information to a fellow gamer online so he could get what is known as "Recon Armor".

Zdenek says, "My son did give his Gamertag. 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."

Microsoft says it doesn't matter who the player is, cheaters will be sanctioned.

Jennifer denies Julias meant to cheat, he only wanted that special armor, now she just wants to put it behind them.

Zdenek says, "I decided the energy I needed to put into fighting a company as big as Microsoft is just too much for me right now and too much for my son and my main focus is him and helping him get through life."

....so the mother is still wanting to "fight", he didn't mean to cheat, he only wanted the special armor without having to work for it...and SHE WARNED HIM NOT TO GIVE HIS INFO TO STRANGERS.

Wait for it guys... I got another one.

Veruca Salt: But Daddy, I want a golden goose NOW!!!!

Hey,

At least Microsoft gave the kid a free month of Xbox Live. It's more than any other cheater would have received.

The mom says that free month didn't work when they tried to activate it. I think it's going to be real interesting to see where all this is half a year from now, after the lawyers are done circling her house.

Given the fact I'm a cynical ba$tich and all, plus the fact the mother knowingly obsuscated and twisted information regarding the incident already, I'm wondering if she input the code correctly.

Meh, I've already kicked a pile enough already today.

Though the suspense is terrible. *pops a piece of candy in his mouth* I hope it'll last.

**It is my -TRUE- hope is that this just gets out of the freakin' media spotlight ASAP and the kid can just get back to being a kid and that his mother will get her head on straight and the kid will have the support network he needs.

Yeah, I suspect she's already gotten 'legal help' and was possibly told to say the code didn't work.

I really wish his gamercard wasn't made public. That's just so wrong. He'll be terrorized over LIVE now, and he doesn't need that added drama.

and he doesn't need that added drama.

This. Yes the kid cheated. Yes he got what he deserved. But He DIDN'T deserve to be dragged out into the spotlight by his mother who tried to play the victim card.

I pray that the XBL community for the most part are sane/rational people who will give the kid a break and see this for what it is: a media circus. He shouldn't be made into a whipping boy. He paid the piper just like countless others who've gone before him. Let him move on and have what dignity he can.

I pray that the XBL community for the most part are sane/rational people

They're not. Just being on the friend's list of someone in the gamer spotlight (forget what it's called) will get you dozens of bizarre messages and friend requests, I've experienced it, it was odd. I didn't know wtf it was at first until I saw who was the spotlight member (someone from the ATC or GC on my FL). Eventually he temporarily turned of his Friends of Friend option so people couldn't see his FL.

Fair play to MS for sticking to thier guns and not bowing to media preasure. As people say cheating is cheating.