stephen-toulouse
Latest
Former Xbox Live policy VP Stephen 'StepTo' Toulouse passed away
Stephen "StepTo" Toulouse, a tech vet, humorist and author well known for his role in managing Xbox Live over the years has passed away. His brother Jeff Toulouse tweeted that "It is with heavy hearts that we announce the loss of our brother, Stephen Toulouse, @Stepto, this morning." A Microsoft employee for nearly 18 years, Stephen served as director of Xbox Live policy and enforcement until early 2012 and helped shape the company's response to issues online communities are still struggling to deal with.
Stephen Toulouse joins Black Tusk Studios' Gears of War team
Stephen Toulouse had worked with Microsoft for 17 consecutive years before he left in February 2012 for "complex and personal" reasons, eventually landing at third-party peripheral creator GAEMS in July of that year. A recent episode of the Major Nelson Radio podcast notes that Toulouse was at one point also at HBO Code Labs, with "was" serving as the key word: Toulouse has now left that position to serve as Black Tusk Studios' Director of Community Engagement for the Gears of War series. Toulouse explains his return a bit further on his blog, stressing that he's a "gamer first and foremost," and that Black Tusk's request to help with a series that Toulouse is personally passionate about was too good to pass up. Toulouse tweeted about his new title as well, describing his role on the team as "key in coordinating gamer feedback into future titles as well as keeping things fun and exciting with existing ones." If you think that's an open invitation to message Toulouse with your hopes for the Gear franchise, well ... it kind of is. Toulouse's blog asks fans to reach out to the Gears of War and Black Tusk Twitter accounts, or to his personal handle. Emails are also welcomed at stepto (at) stepto (dot) com. Whichever channel you use, Toulouse hopes to hear about "everything you like, dislike, want, don't want and hope for" concerning the Gears universe, and while he can't promise a response to every single one, Toulouse adds that "all thoughts will be entertained." [Image: Stephen Toulouse]
Ex-Xbox Live security guy, Stephen Toulouse, joins GAEMS
Stephen Toulouse, former director of Xbox Live policy and enforcement, is gearing up to join GAEMS, a third-party peripheral developer focused on hardcore, high-quality mobile accessories for console gamers. Toulouse is now director of operations and product management for GAEMS, based in Redmond, Washington.In his announcement post, Toulouse cites the g155 system – an Xbox 360 or PS3 Slim travel case – as a major draw for him to join the GAEMS team."I dearly wished for something like the g155 to make that gaming experience portable," Toulouse writes. "As I was looking at various opportunities, working on a product that I believe in was paramount in my mind."So for the first time I'm joining a startup company which gives me a chance not only to apply my skills in a new environment, but also to learn a metric ton about how the gaming hardware business works. (I was never really plugged into the hardware manufacturing side of Xbox). Those are really the key reasons for taking another job: getting a whole lot of new experience, and working on something I like myself."
Director of Xbox Live policy and enforcement to leave Microsoft after 17 happy years
Stephen Toulouse, the man responsible for policing the not-so Wild West that we like to call Xbox Live is calling it a day. Announcing the news on his personal site, he told readers that the split was amicable, adding that he had no particular plans beyond visiting his family and taking it easy. Microsoft has declined to comment on any eventual successor just yet, but released a statement saying that "the Xbox Live Enforcement Squad will continue their work to help ensure a safer and more secure experience on Xbox Live for our nearly 40 million members." Admittedly, the online squad's had more luck than a certain competitor.
Microsoft's Stephen Toulouse to resign in mid-February, destination unknown [updated]
One day after his 17th Valentine's Day with Microsoft, director of Xbox Live policy and enforcement Stephen "StepTo" Toulouse will step down from his current position and head out into the unknown. "On the 16th, I'm going to head down to Dallas to visit my family. Then I'm off to JocoCruiseCrazy! I have no other plans beyond that. I'm a free agent!" he said on his personal website today.Toulouse says the split is amicable, and that he's moving on for "complex and personal" reasons. He's been a Microsoft employee for just under 18 years, starting full-time on April 11, 1994 at the age of 21 (which is a lot more impressive than what most of us were doing at age 21).It's unclear who will fill his shoes, but we've reached out to Microsoft for comment.Update: Microsoft has issued the following comment to Joystiq regarding the departure of Stephen Toulouse, and declined to name his replacement: "As you know, after more than 17 years at Microsoft, Stephen Toulouse has decided to leave the company. We thank Stephen for his years of contributions and wish him all the best. We do not have any details to share around a potential successor for Stepto at this time, but can assure you that the Xbox LIVE Enforcement Squad will continue their work to help ensure a safer and more secure experience on Xbox LIVE for our nearly 40 million members."
Kmart sold Modern Warfare 3 early, copies wind up on eBay [update 2: pre-release probably OK?]
Rumors have been circulating today that Kmart stores have been selling copies of Modern Warfare 3 prior to its official debut next week. It's clear that a handful of copies were definitely sold, as several eBay listings for the game have been popping up (and taken down) all day. At least one listing that is still active does indeed include a picture of a Kmart receipt. It seems the company got wise to the error, as all the locations we called reported the November 8 release. We suppose if you really want MW3 five days early, you might be able to snag one. Of course, that's assuming you're willing to pay upwards of $100 and the listing survives underneath eBay's watchful gaze. Incidentally, if you find yourself with a legitimate retail Xbox copy, don't worry about playing it early. Stephen Toulouse, Microsoft's Xbox Live guru, has given the all-clear on Twitter. Update: Stephen Toulouse has posted a new update on Twitter, stating that Activision has not authorized pre-release play of Modern Warfare 3. According to Toulouse, "Playing early may impact your account!" Seems a bit unfair to anyone who may have legitimately purchased the game from a retailer, but there you go. Update 2: Now Both Infinity Ward Community Dude Robert Bowling and Mr. Toulouse have clarified that players with early copies of Modern Warfare 3 will not be banned or otherwise punished for playing the game online. We think. Who can tell at this point? [Thanks, Mike]
Stepto on Xbox Live hacker: 'He's not trying to help'
"He got an old cell phone [number] of mine, and yeah, he called it occasionally," Xbox Live director of policy and enforcement Stephen "Stepto" Toulouse told us of the contact he'd had with the apparent hacker known as "Predator," who took control of Toulouse's Xbox Live account this past weekend. "I can play you a voice message if you want, to show you the nature of his contact with us." What followed was ... not suitable for printing. Expletives and derogatory terms were all that we could make out in the mess of a message. Multiple voices could be heard, too. "I have a six minute one where he and his friend discuss all the different ways they're gonna have sex with my wife." Not exactly what Predator characterized as "reaching out" to Microsoft to offer his help resolving the security issues he's claimed to have exploited. "I would say 'reaching out for contact' is an extremely generous phrase," Toulouse said. "Most of the stuff that he leaves on there is flat out harassment. It's not contact. He's not trying to help or do anything. He's mostly just insulting me. And I get that from time to time. It's just the nature of my role. The kids sometimes try to go after me -- it's not that big a deal." In terms of what actually happened, Toulouse was quick to point out that his Xbox Live account wasn't "hacked" per se, but rather his personal site's web host failed to protect his information. The actual issue, he said, is social engineering (Predator's ability to manipulate the web host in order to reset Toulouse's password) -- an issue that "no one has solved."
Xbox Live hacker: 'All accounts are open' to attacks [update]
He only had access for a limited period, but a self-proclaimed "hacker" managed to finagle his way into Xbox Live policy enforcement lead Stephen Toulouse's Xbox Live Gold account over the weekend. The hacker calls himself "Predator," and has created a six-minute video showing off his exploits. Predator allegedly used "social engineering techniques" and didn't employ any "programs," he told Joystiq this afternoon. Predator was able to alter Xbox Live account information after resetting Toulouse's password, all through Toulouse's personal website host, Network Solutions. But despite his actions, "Predator" says he didn't go do it for malicious reasons. "I'm simply letting them know I'm willing to help them secure accounts from future hackers," he explained. "All accounts are open for hacking." That last statement rings especially true in light of last year's hacking of Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb's Xbox Live account. And this isn't his first success, Predator claims. "I've done many illegal things on Xbox -- I've taken Trixie360's account, 15 Original Gamertags, 4 H3 Pro's [Halo 3 pros], and a few randoms," he told us. He also notes in his video (which has been pulled) that he's had "over 35" console bans, and points out that, as a result, Toulouse "had it coming, man." Predator, however, remains unconcerned about his own fate. He notes after explaining his past exploits that nothing has happened to him so far. Predator says his offer to help with Xbox Live security stands. Update: We spoke with Stephen Toulouse, who offered his comments on the incident. Additionally, the video after the break has been removed as it is no longer available on YouTube.
Microsoft's Toulouse explains why swastikas are banned on Xbox Live
An Xbox Live user recently inquired to professional banhammer-wielder Stephen Toulouse whether or not he could use a swastika as his Call of Duty: Black Ops emblem, to which Toulouse responded, "No, of course you can't, we'll ban you." Apparently, this sparked quite a reaction from gamers who witnessed the exchange, who defended the use of a swastika as a symbol widely used throughout several Eastern religions. In a post on his personal blog, Toulouse explained why this argument doesn't hold much water with the Xbox Live moderation crew. "Let's be clear: no educated human on the planet looks at the swastika symbol ... and says 'oh, that symbol has nothing at all in any way to do with global genocide of an entire race,'" Toulouse stated, "'and, even if it did, one should totally and reasonably ignore that because it's a symbol that was stolen or coop-ted from religions.'" He succinctly adds, "If you think the swastika symbol should be re-evaluated by societies all over the Earth, I think that's great. Your Xbox Live profile or in game logo, which doesn't have the context to explain your goal, is not the right place to do that." We certainly know that every time we see someone use the swastika as their identifier on an online game, our first thought is, "Oh, how nice, they're pushing for a global re-evaluation of the meaning of the swastika." Like, that's just common sense, isn't it?
PAX 2010: Stepto's Law of Xbox Live ban protests
During the Xbox Live Enforcement panel at PAX this past weekend, director of policy and enforcement on Xbox Live, Stephen Toulouse (a.k.a. Stepto), recited "Stepto's Law" for the audience. The complex formula is used to determine the validity of a complaint issued by a banned Xbox Live user. The law goes like this: "The more convoluted, overwrought and lengthy the protest of innocence, the probability of it being bullshit approaches one." Toulouse feels that his law "tends to be almost 100 percent accurate of Xbox Live," but of course there can be exceptions to the rule -- er, law, in this case.
Microsoft fires off salvo of Halo: Reach pirating permabans
If you were one of the ne'er-do-wells who thought downloading a leaked copy of Halo: Reach and then playing it online was a really, really great idea, you might have received a stern email from Microsoft like the one recently dug up by MaxConsole. The document informs these red-handed pirates that "your Xbox LIVE account privileges have been permanently suspended due to illegitimate prerelease title play." Xbox Live Director of Policy and Executioner Stephen Toulouse commented on the bans on Twitter, explaining "as with all unauthorized play on Xbox LIVE, anyone playing any unauthorized title runs the risk of account permaban and console." In short, you do the crime, you pay the time. Wait, is "forever and ever" an actual measurement of time?
PAX East: Tour Microsoft's N.E.R.D. Cambridge office with us
click to New England-size Just because you don't live in the Northeast (or couldn't afford to hop on a bus/train/plane/cattle cart to PAX East 2010) doesn't mean that you can't tour Microsoft's New England Research & Development Center with us. Sure, you might not be here in the physical sense, but our hi-res gallery below should assist you in achieving a semblance of the zeitgeist in Cambridge yesterday morning. Xbox's Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb, Stephen "Stepto" Toulouse, Laura "Lollipop" Massey, and Eric "E" Neustadter ate breakfast with us (and two or three hundred of their closest friends), handed out some prizes, and even gave everyone a chance to check out a Surface. If you're so inclined, flip through the gallery below and tour N.E.R.D. with us, won't you? %Gallery-89140%
Microsoft's wicked PAX East schedule
Microsoft has some plans for that little PAX East shindig taking place in Boston this week. Starting Thursday, the publisher will offer several events, followed by a few panels over the weekend that may be of interest to Xbox 360 users. Maybe you'll see some Joystiq folks on Friday morning at the Tweetup. Events: Thursday, March 25 from 5:30 to 6:30PM: Major Nelson will have a pre-PAX 2010 session for area college students at Microsoft NERD in Cambridge, which is easily accessible on the Red Line of the T. No fee, but you'll have to register, due to limited space. Friday, March 26 from 9:30 to 11:30AM: Tweetup, again at Microsoft NERD in Cambridge. Coffee and snacks before PAX starts at 2PM across the river. First 300 people receive "exclusive PAX East item." They'll also have a Surface, and they'll likely have Joystiq folks in attendance, as well. Sessions: Friday, 6:30PM: Traversing the Twitterverse, and Beyond! (Manticore Theatre) Major Nelson, @XboxSupport's McKenzie Eaken and Infinity Ward's Robert Bowling (@fourzerotwo) discuss professional tweeting and gaming. Saturday, 3:00PM: Xbox LIVE Group Therapy.(Wyvern Theatre) Major Nelson records his podcast live for the first time. Saturday, 5:30PM: Podcasting (f)or PR (Naga Theater) Major Nelson discusses podcasting and PR with several big-wigs. Sunday, 11:30AM: Enforcement on Xbox LIVE: Tales from the Din Part 2 (Manticore Theatre). Stephen (@Stepto) Toulouse, head of Xbox LIVE Policy and Enforcement, discusses policing Xbox Live. Yes, it's a terrifying as it sounds. We're looking forward to the Tweetup and Toulouse's presentation. If it's anything like his PAX Seattle presentation, it'll melt your face off.
Xbox Live moderators getting serious about Modern Warfare 2's Javelin glitch
Oh, you think it's funny, making your virtual soldier explode with the force of a small supernova every time he gets killed? Yeah, we suppose it is. Know what else is funny? Getting banned from Xbox Live. Oh, wait, did we say funny? We meant really unpleasant. However, according to Xbox Live's Director of Policy and Enforcement, Stephen Toulouse, using Modern Warfare 2's Javelin glitch (an unsavory practice demoed in this video) is cheating, as defined by the service's Terms of Use. According to Toulouse, anyone caught self-detonating will be banned for 24 hours, or if caught repeatedly, two weeks. For us honest folk, it seems the wait for a patch, which will cull the kamikaze epidemic, will be short. Infinity Ward's Robert Bowling tweeted yesterday that a fix is currently being tested, and, "once it's cleared, we'll be urging it through Microsoft & Sony certification as fast as possible." Keep the fire, troops. We can make it through this thing together.
EA and GLAAD to host a panel against homophobia in online games
Tomorrow marks an interesting event in Redwood City, CA as Electronic Arts teams up with the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Discrimination (GLAAD) to host a panel regarding homophobia in online games.The panel will be featuring some major industry players, including GayGamer founder Flynn DeMarco (AKA Fruit Brute), senior director of communications and industry affairs for the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) Dan Hewitt, senior producer Caryl Shaw from Maxis Studio, Linden Lab's vice president of customer relations Cyn Skyberg, and Xbox Live's program manager Stephen Toulouse (Gamertag: Stepto.)Stephen Toulouse's presence at the panel is especially interesting, as Microsoft has come under fire for some rather inflammatory anti-gay policies.The panel will be moderated by GLAAD's Justin Cole, their director of digital and online media. The panel will take place tomorrow, July 18th, from 11 AM to 1 PM Pacific time.
Microsoft resets Gamerscores, Toulouse explains why
Correcting the "miscreants" can be an ornery task. Just ask Stephen Toulouse, Xbox Live's virtual bouncer, and the man responsible for resetting your cheatin' heart (er, Gamerscore) back to zero. A recent wave of Gamerscore resets have hit Xbox Live and Toulouse was on Major Nelson's weekly show yesterday to explain what happened. "A couple weeks ago ... we did a Gamerscore reset pass on several Gears of War 2 players who had illegitimately toggled the 'Level 100' Achievement for a map pack that had just come out," Toulouse told the Major.According to the show, the mathematics behind how quickly people were earning the achievement were, simply put, impossible. "Any time you earn an Achievement you don't actually have to earn, that's against the terms of use," Toulouse said of the official policing policy, something Microsoft has adhered to since the inception of Xbox Live Achievements. And to those of you who have a sibling or friend to blame on your Gamerscore reset, Toulouse feels little sympathy for you. He told the Major that you probably need to address that person and that it's ultimately "your responsibility" to take care of your console and online representation. Tough noogies, indeed!
Microsoft talks to GLAAD about GLBT policy issues
Stephen Toulouse, handler of Xbox Live Terms of Service policing, appeared on last Sunday's Major Nelson podcast to speak about how Microsoft is handling the concerns of the GLBT community. He recently sat down with two representatives from GLAAD to speak about the policy and what Microsoft could be doing better. Speaking about the meeting, Toulouse said, "We asked them the question, 'How can we do this better?' ... That dialog was super, super helpful. I think it was a great engagement."Problems arose in late February when an Xbox Live user named "Teresa" identified her sexual preference in her profile and was subsequently suspended from the service, seemingly due to self-identifying as a lesbian. Microsoft told us at the time that it suspends accounts that identify "any form of sexual orientation" and it seems as though Mr. Toulouse and GLAAD are working toward a more hospitable situation for everyone involved (be they from the GLBT community or not). We reached out to GLAAD for comment on the meeting and spoke with Justin Cole, the Director of Digital & Online Media, who told us, "They [Microsoft] were very, very receptive and welcoming with all the suggestions. They even admitted that their policy isn't the best in the world. What we, at the end of the meeting, decided is that we're going to have quarterly meetings with them. They're going to be heading out to a panel on homophobia and online gaming in Silicon Valley that we're putting together later this year." We'll be speaking with Mr. Cole in the upcoming days and finding out more about the future of GLAAD's involvement with Xbox Live and, in general, online gaming.[Via GayGamer.net]
