Brazilian court orders Microsoft to restore hacked gamer's account and library

A Brazilian court has ordered Microsoft to restore a gamer's suspended Xbox account and digital game library after the account was hacked, awarding 2,000 reais (~$400) in damages. The case, brought by Reddit user Ordo_Liberal, highlights consumer protections under Brazil's Consumer Defense Code.

The case

Ordo_Liberal's account was flagged for unauthorized access and permanently suspended, despite having two-factor authentication enabled. Microsoft support told him to repurchase his games instead of restoring access Source: tomshardware. He filed a lawsuit in small-claims court at no cost thanks to Brazil's consumer protection laws Source: engadget.

The ruling

The court gave Microsoft 15 days to restore the account, or face a daily fine of 150 reais ($30), capped at 1,500 reais ($300), plus the 2,000 reais damages Source: engadget. The judgment forces Microsoft to reverse its standard policy of treating digital purchases as revocable licenses Source: tomshardware.

Wider implications

While this is a first-instance ruling with no binding precedent, it contrasts with U.S. courts, which generally treat digital games as licenses, and Chinese courts, which recognize accounts as inheritable property Source: tomshardware. The case arrives as Microsoft and Sony push toward digital-only libraries, raising questions about consumer rights in digital ownership.