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.

 

[isoboy]

Back to your fancy Super Mario's. Namaste.

 

[Chary]

What a screwup! Glad it was just a mistake

 

[Deleted member 194275]

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.

 

[NakedFaerie]

Yea i got the email too. I dont use dev mode so doesnt bother me but it says my dev license is for 99 years so it shouldnt have been disabled when its still valid. Wait 99 years then they can disable it.

 

[Rudy69]

Did they store the expiry dates in an Int again?

 

[CoolMe]

Uh, they still didn't clarify on how it affects/affected all accounts at the same time frame and for both active & inactive users. I don't believe it's a bug, more like a terms of use sort of thing..

 

[Marc_LFD]

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.

Speaking of Genesis and Dreamcast, there was a "Sega Xbox" or something like it planned back then, but it didn't happen.

Still, the Xbox platform is the one that feels like the successor of Sega's consoles. And plus, Xbox had Shenmue 2 while GC and PS2 didn't (though GC received SA2 but that game kinda sucks, imo).

 

[zoogie]

I think they saw @MVG's video and got shook

 

[yusuo]

I think they saw @MVG's video and got shook

Is saw @MVG's video, didn't realise he was a member here (I know he credits this site in the video) anyways, I was one of the lucky ones who didn't get deactivated.

 

[tech3475]

One funny thing about this event is that it has actually given me the urge to try messing around coding via dev mode.

 

[MasterJ360]

I mean they had to bring it back b/c so many ppl already paid $20 for it. They avoided being sued lol

 

[Gronbar]

Shocking. Developer Accounts should be used for developing games.

 

[kevin corms]

Good, I like to play around with unity and put it my games on my Xbox. Not to publish.

 

[Pipistrele]

I think they saw @MVG's video and got shook

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.

 

[tech3475]

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.

He was affected himself and the response from MS only came after his video.

 

[HarveyHouston]

...And this is when modders find a way to develop for Xbox consoles without the Developer account. Microsoft's little plan has failed again! MUAH-HAH-HAH-HAAAAAAAAAAA!

 

[Snintendog]

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.

Not really since it was far more widespread than one thread on GBAtemp it trended on twitter after all.

 

[the_randomizer]

Shocking. Developer Accounts should be used for developing games.

Who died and made you in charge?

 

[newo]

Shocking. It was only a matter of time.