Jason Jones, the upstanding proprietor of one ACME Game Store, thought he was experiencing just another day in the booming, illegally modded Xbox retail market (and not the coyote-pandering dynamite and rocket shoes market, as you may have incorrectly anticipated). Little did he know that his latest customer, one with suspiciously long arms, had unseen motives that eventually led to the law knocking on the door. An undercover investigator for the Entertainment Software Association (they have those?) made sure that Mr. Jones and his accomplice, Jonathan Bryant, were rightly punished for selling chipped Xbox consoles, each one loaded with over 50 pirated games and selling for between $225 and $500. In addition to being slapped with a fine of $2,648 by the ESA, Mr. Jones will be equipped with an electronic bracelet and confined to his home. Should he attempt to leave, the bracelet will let out a high-pitched yelp and large men with guns will promptly arrive and shove him back into his room.
A third modder, Pei "Patrick" Cai, evaded this horrendous fate by becoming a full-fledged fugitive. It's not nearly as dramatic as being on the run for murder, but police have nevertheless been advised to keep an eye out for a shifty looking fellow with a chip on his solder. (OOF!)



















(Page 1) Reader Comments
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Back on topic, everyone knows when they get into pirating, that there's always a chance you'll get caught. These guys shouldn’t have been surprised at all. At least the ESA didn't trump up the charges. That fine seems awfully light.
Boy, I would have liked to have known about Acme Game Store *before* the bust. Sounds like some sweet packages they were slapping together.
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Knowing quite a few modders myself, it's hard to believe that a $2700 fine is going to weigh too heavy on their souls, or pockets. One in particular I've met has stated an amount over $10,000 liquid income over the Christmas season. Now, on the other hand, being confined to home with an electronic bracelet... could be rough.
Good thing he's got his XBox and 50+ games to keep him occupied =D
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Exy's comment was the sarcastic one. "Wittiest man on Earth...die from laughter..."
Clearly he was being mean. To use sarcasm on a blog, you usually need to resort to extremes to get it across. At least, that's how I read it..correct me if I'm wrong, exy.
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Sorry everyone (especially exy). The pessimist in me is showing. I always assume the worst in people.
(cowers away with tail between legs)
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Anyone ever been to the ACME game store before all this went down? It was actually a really sweet spot...catering to the uber hipster, hollywood, celebutante scene. Whatever the hell that means. But still cool for commonfolk. The set-up and displays were really unique.
(this is the store next to where the'I-Am-8-Bit' art exhibit was at, btw)
I kind of hope these guys can make a comeback.
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