Halo Code of Conduct

Players who don’t follow the Halo Code of Conduct can be banned from the game for anywhere from a minute to permanently, depending on the severity of the violation.

Most of the time, a player violates the Code of Conduct purely by mistake. We want our players to have the chance to change their behavior, so the length of a ban is based on the type, frequency, and nature of the violation. In most cases, Custom Games are still available.

If a banned player uses alternate Microsoft accounts to circumvent their ban, that violates the Xbox Community Standards. Consequences include added penalties or ban time but can even result in a ban from the entire Xbox ecosystem.

Ban notification

When you are banned, you receive an in-game message letting you know. The length of the ban will be included in that message. First offenses typically last only a few minutes. For each subsequent ban, the duration will increase.

Reasons for a ban in Halo

The most common reasons for a ban include:

• Frequently and repeatedly quitting
• Unsportsmanlike behavior, such as excessive idling, betrayal, or suicide
• Attempted playlist ranking manipulation
• Progression system manipulation
• Network manipulation
• Violating the Terms of Use
• Violating our licensing agreement,
• Violating the Xbox Community Standards
• Violating the Halo Code of Conduct

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Why was I banned for quitting a match or going AFK (away from keyboard)?

When you quit a match or do not participate, commonly referred to as “going AFK,” you make the game worse for everyone else in your lobby. This behavior is bad for the overall health of the game, the match quality, and player retention, especially in ranked playlists.

We understand that sometimes quitting is unavoidable or accidental and that occasional disconnects happen. That is why the initial bans are short. Not participating in a match won’t result in an immediate ban, but repeatedly doing it may lead to a ban afterward.

Someone else did something on my account. Can you please reverse my ban?

It is your sole responsibility to keep your account information secure and not share it with others who might abuse it. We have no way to detect who is playing with your account, and Microsoft’s Code of Conduct forbids players from sharing log-ins or accounts. The license for the game belongs to one person per account.

I didn’t do anything wrong. Can you please reverse my ban?

If you want to request an appeal for your ban, use the Halo Support system to submit a ticket. Do not try to appeal to members of 343 Industries staff, community, or forum moderators on social media. They cannot influence whether you are banned.

What happens if I report a player?

Each “Report a Player” submission is reviewed individually so our Enforcement Team can validate the claim, view any evidence, and review past bans to make sure the penalty is appropriate.

Reporting other players simply to try to get them in trouble when nothing actually happened is against the Xbox Community Standards. Doing this puts you at risk of being banned yourself.

Types of violation include:

• Unsportsmanlike behavior
  • Idling through games
  • habitual quitting
  • suiciding
  • betraying
  • dodging matches
• Impersonating a 343 Industries or Microsoft employee on Xbox LIVE with intent to defraud or cause harm to other players
• Intentionally represent yourself as a player other than yourself to cause drama
• Manipulating the matchmaking, progression system, and/or ranking system
• Filing false reports against other players
• Creating new accounts to circumvent a suspension