A few months ago, I started using Microsoft Azure to play video games, specifically utilizing AMD GPUs because they were budget-friendly. Recently, I noticed that my subscription was banned without any chance to appeal. I'm really confused about why this happened. Does Microsoft have a problem with gaming on their platform, or did I do something wrong?
3 Answers
You likely violated Microsoft's acceptable use policy. While Azure does have the NG-series VMs that seem tailored for gaming, they don't really allow personal gaming usage, even if that’s not overly clear in their rules.
It's actually quite common for gamers to run into issues like this on Azure. Even though Microsoft markets their NG-series VMs as 'cloud gaming capable,' that messaging is mainly for studios and developers, not for individual players trying to game. Most anti-cheat systems won't tolerate gaming from VMs either, so if Microsoft detects personal gaming use, they have every right to suspend your account for violating their service agreement. Basically, they see personal gamers as a risk, not as a source of revenue, which is why these bans happen.
I’d recommend submitting a support ticket to get clarification on the ban. They should provide a specific reason for your account suspension.
I've never heard of a strict no-gaming policy before, especially since Azure offers those NG-family VMs that are aimed at gaming workloads. It's a bit confusing!