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Tell HN: Microsoft locks migrated Minecraft accounts, requires phone to unlock

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Re: Tell HN: Microsoft locks migrated Minecraft accounts, requires phone to unlock

#101

Post by em-bee »

nathanaldensr wrote: post #73

Due to Microsoft's disgusting behavior regarding forced migrations for children, Minecraft is no longer played in my household. That's really sad, too, since it was one of very few games my entire family enjoyed. It's also the game I have the most hours in. Good job, Microsoft.

switch to minetest.

it's Free Software. you can host your own family server just by running the game on one machine and have everyone else connect to that. my son does it all on his own, and he invites his classmates to come over and play with him locally. there are also some family friendly public servers.

Re: Tell HN: Microsoft locks migrated Minecraft accounts, requires phone to unlock

#102

Post by codedokode »

jp57 wrote: post #8

It's possible that the TOS message is boilerplate that they put up when they haven't created (and localized) an appropriate message for the real reason (or they don't want to reveal the real reason). To me it sounds like maybe they detected a successful credential stuffing attack against the accounts and locked them. That said, it sounds like their recovery process leaves a lot to be desired.

> they detected a successful credential stuffing attack against the accounts and locked them

And how providing a phone number can help Microsoft to distinguish a real owner from an attacker?

Re: Tell HN: Microsoft locks migrated Minecraft accounts, requires phone to unlock

#103

Post by em-bee »

matheweis wrote: post #95
pbhjpbhj wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Minecraft is the closed clone of the open Infiniminer IIRC. There are a ton of clones, but for a lot of people it's the social aspects. Putting my kids account on 'Xbox Games' (we don't have an Xbox, nor ever will I expect) for whatever bs reason we had to do that was a complete mess.

Right. I should have clarified further, an open/free clone that is available in the app stores and supports multiplayer.

minetest is FOSS and multiplayer. with desktop and mobile apps.

Re: Tell HN: Microsoft locks migrated Minecraft accounts, requires phone to unlock

#104

Post by Natsu »

PolemicThoughts wrote: post #26

I have a 13 year old minecraft account. I've been unable to migrate it because I don't have the transaction ID. I don't have the email (I wasn't very good at managing an inbox when I was 14), and the bank that it was bought with no longer exists, even if they had more than 7 years of records retention. I told support I can provide government IDs for myself and my father (the name on the card, presumably), but I got t…

This reminds me of when LoL migrated accounts when I wasn't playing. Somehow it matched me up to a lvl 5 OCE account I made years ago to play a couple of games with the friend that had the same name and the original account with lots of rare skins and which I spent a lot on over the years is just gone. I filed support tickets years ago and never got any response at all. Nothing, just a black hole.

I completely gave up on Riot after that. I'm not playing any of their games now and I don't see myself going back to them, which is kinda sad, because I met my wife in LoL so there were some fond memories.

So for all the people out there who design these account transitions, please remember, you can permanently lose customers from stuff like this. Oh, I probably have a Mojang account somewhere, too, but I lost it ages ago and I won't go back there, either, at this point.

Re: Tell HN: Microsoft locks migrated Minecraft accounts, requires phone to unlock

#105

Post by Avamander »

MattIPv4 wrote: post #5

As someone who had a lot of old accounts with some pretty OG names, this whole migration process has been a right headache 'cause now I have a ton of burner Microsoft accounts ('cause each MS account can only have on MC account) and each one needed verifying.

What's even more lovely about that process is that you have to be very certain you want your MS account's name associated with your Minecraft username. Your MS account's name is automatically used as your Xbox live name. The setting to hide your Xbox live name is only available on Xboxes.

Re: Tell HN: Microsoft locks migrated Minecraft accounts, requires phone to unlock

#106

Post by codedokode »

glatisaint wrote: post #93
codedokode wrote: post #90

> Microsoft that the account was locked due to activity on the account that 'violated their terms of service' What I dislike here most is that the explanation is probably a lie. If someone violated the rules then how providing a phone number can fix this? You are allowed to violate the rules if you leave a phone number? I remember a similar case. I registered email at outlook.com and after I tried to log in from slig…

They want a phone number to make sure you're not a spammer taking over the account.

Then the message about someone else trying to get access to an account would be a lie. Also it is unclear how a phone number can prove that I am not a spammer. I think that just looking at a number of emails sent would be a better metric.

Re: Tell HN: Microsoft locks migrated Minecraft accounts, requires phone to unlock

#107

Post by prepend »

cmeacham98 wrote: post #72
prepend wrote: post #25

As a parent this is one of my pet peeves as so many services for kids assume/require a phone number. I’m sure it has nothing to do with me getting so much phone spam as to turn off my ringer. Microsoft has been a real jerk with the Minecraft acquisition. It would be so much better for users had notch never sold. They are increasing prices, making it harder to start, removing mod functionality, and basically just all…

As much as I hate to defend Microsoft (and moving Minecraft to MS accounts is annoying and stupid), this isn't true: > They are increasing prices Same price as ever: https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/store/minecraft-java-edition > making it harder to start Not sure what this is supposed to mean? > removing mod functionality The opposite of reality, for example they started releasing java mappings last year > and basica…

> They are increasing prices

What I meant is that there are now micro transactions to buy cosmetic things. And ads in game, in windows, on Xbox, and everywhere to buy them.

Minecraft was a one time purchase and now it’s a service revenue stream. So as a gamer and a parent, the price is much higher.

Not to mention having different versions that don’t work together so there’s Java edition and bedrock that are different purchases. I also have multiple kids and Minecraft doesn’t let you share profiles so after hearing the kids argue over which skin to use I broke down and bought multiple accounts.

Microsoft made Minecraft a less fun game so they would make more money. The game made billions of dollars and that wasn’t enough. They wanted extra billions.

Re: Tell HN: Microsoft locks migrated Minecraft accounts, requires phone to unlock

#108

Post by userbinator »

glatisaint wrote: post #93
codedokode wrote: post #90

> Microsoft that the account was locked due to activity on the account that 'violated their terms of service' What I dislike here most is that the explanation is probably a lie. If someone violated the rules then how providing a phone number can fix this? You are allowed to violate the rules if you leave a phone number? I remember a similar case. I registered email at outlook.com and after I tried to log in from slig…

They want a phone number to make sure you're not a spammer taking over the account.

A spammer probably has many throwaway phone numbers to use, since they are likely to care much less about companies harvesting data anyway.

Re: Tell HN: Microsoft locks migrated Minecraft accounts, requires phone to unlock

#109

Post by cmeacham98 »

prepend wrote: post #107
cmeacham98 wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As much as I hate to defend Microsoft (and moving Minecraft to MS accounts is annoying and stupid), this isn't true: > They are increasing prices Same price as ever: https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/store/minecraft-java-edition > making it harder to start Not sure what this is supposed to mean? > removing mod functionality The opposite of reality, for example they started releasing java mappings last year > and basica…

> They are increasing prices What I meant is that there are now micro transactions to buy cosmetic things. And ads in game, in windows, on Xbox, and everywhere to buy them. Minecraft was a one time purchase and now it’s a service revenue stream. So as a gamer and a parent, the price is much higher. Not to mention having different versions that don’t work together so there’s Java edition and bedrock that are different…

Minecraft: Java Edition has none of these flaws and is the superior experience in basically every way. Unfortunately, the cost you pay for that is that the game only works on "normal" computers, no console/mobile support.

If you specifically mean Bedrock Edition has problems, I agree with you, but it's been that way for a long time.

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