According to rumors, those pesky Microsoft Points will be gone by the end of 2012. For the uninitiated, Microsoft Points are the system of virtual currency used to buy content on Xbox LIVE, Zune Marketplace, and Windows Mobile Marketplace.
The points, which do not correspond to actual money in a way that makes sense to human beings, seemingly have no purpose except to make you spend more money. If you don't know how much an actual item costs, you're more likely to fork over points for it. It's like trading tickets in at the arcade. Can you believe this bouncy ball that would only cost me fifty-cents at the store was only 12,450 tickets? SCORE! Plus, you can only purchase microsoft points in bundles, and because of Microsoft's pricing structure, you always end up buying more points than you actually need, which means more money for Microsoft and a pair of sunglasses for your avatar.
While most other app stores use dollar-to-dollar cost models (except for the Nintendo Wii, which also uses points), Microsoft has stood by their confusing and convoluted system that makes you feel like a clueless American tourist trying to figure out what 34,000 Yen equates to in US dollars so you can get a new girlfriend pillow. Now, it seems the system is so out of line with the way the rest of the industry does business, that Microsoft might actually have to price things at what they cost, and not in their archaic system of space bucks.
What do you think? Do you want to see the death of Microsoft Points?
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redrumerog
Some of you X-box only users don't seem to get it, they will still be selling pre-paid cards at Wal-Mart and other stores, just now when you spend $20 you get $20 instead of 1600 points or what ever the exchange rate is, as a person with both a Ps3 and an X-box 360 this sound so much better than a points system, maybe they could take a page from sony's book and allow players to play online without paying a monthly subscription fee, when I buy a $20 PSN card from Wal-Mart that is exactly what I get to spend at the PSN store, I don't have to buy points and a monthly fee for connected online play
gambitjuggalo
so what happens to the xbox live rewards sites im a member of where i can get free ms points for doing certain things.. also same thing with signing up with bings rewards you can cash in your points for ms points.. I assume Id be screwed on that.
bagoferret
i would be okay with it, but i still like the cards, i can go grocery shopping and get a couple hours of gaming fun at the same store, without having to sacrifice a credit card
littledragon092
finally they cut this bs out. still, i have 20 points to spend on.... a used wet napkin for my avatar? thanks microsoft.
qec
Its about time they did away with the points system. What will happen to Users that have a stockpile of points on their account though? As long as you have a stockpile then your gonna get ripped off; if I have 240 Points and they credit it back to me in real money then its going to be something obscure like $3.41 (not exact, just making a point) and you still won't ever be able to spend that exact amount on anything. I use Xbox for most of my Entertainment needs, and therefore have bought a lot of points, but there has only been a handful of times when I actually spent every Point on my account.
I guess if they went to the PSN model of charging exactly what an Item Costs to your credit card, then you may not get ripped off though because they could charge the amount left on your account plus the remainder to your credit card. If they do switch I hope this is what they do because just putting $10.00, or $20.00 on your account will still leave you with outstanding balances if the item you buy only costs $5.99 or $12.99.
ThePainN
Kind of wish that all currency was the same, make things easier. Not just for games but for everything.
GamingTruth
As long as the prices stay the same, i'll be happy.
KTXtheGreat
If MSP go away Xbox live would be completely useless to me and I will just have to cancel my account.
CLEANDEATH99
This is bull they cant go away!!!!!!!and ps3 users you suck ass!!!
JOE NATION 2.0
I actually like the points system. For me personally, I would rather pay for games with a prepaid card than to pay for it by credit card. I love xbox live but it is not that serious to put my personal credit card account number on some video game cyberspace where I could easily be hacked and my credit card has been stolen by some punk who I beat online and now he or she wants to steal my identification online. I hope that whatever they use in the future, it is simple and not too complicated. I still don't know why xbox would get rid of the 1 month cards. I though it was convenient to get a month card because I can get something cheap and still be online like everybody else. B.T.W. all avatar crap should be free. It is just a fake person.
Perplexed_Waffle
I hope they get rid of the points. It's just a way for MS to make extra money. I wonder how much money they make on leftover points? Everybody I know has at least 80 to 200 points that never seems to leave their account no matter how many purchases they make. It's a genius system, but it's pretty ridiculous to use a points system when everything else is dollar to dollar.
MasterKiller64
Bad idea, I would rather not fork over a credit card to buy stuff directly from marketplace.
trunightmare87
I don`t mind the points at all I fell if it works don`t mess it up. I also like looking for games and inde games so the extra points are not always a bad thing.
nvserg
With all due respect people, I don t understand what the big confusion is here. Why would you want the Microsoft points to go away?????? Its actually a bad thing and if you have math issues then I suggest you listen to Cmatt and get rid of your Xbox. I also agree with ThoraxRatchet as well which is saying the same thing but with a little more flavor on time.
Here is the deal, I use Microsoft point not because im in Calculus but to avoid credit card theft. Now imagine if Microsoft did get rid of the point system and everyone had credit card #s on their account with address and name!!! that s screaming for hey, come still my info and charge up my credit card so I can pay for it. Lets not forget the fact of that hacking has gone up with in the past year. So to answer your question, I hope that Microsoft does not get rid of the points and wish we could use it to purchase games on Windows Phone 7 which by the way you cant at this time.
Warrior567
its not that hard. 80 points = 1 dollar. i like this system and so do most people i know. we dont spend alot of $ on online content, so its better that we don't have our credit cards on there. also many xbox accounts are hacked each day, and if your credit card is on there you will lose alot of money
ONEHERO
good riddance...the old points system is the most sleazy and retarded business model that companies today have all but ditched the system....except for Microsoft. End of 2012 is still too long.
Again, I believe that Peter Moore was a real idiot in incorporating many failed in adaptation modules; be it during the Dreamcast or his short destructive span with Microsoft. And many wonder why EA is now ever to annoying......
Sanges99
Alright, now I understand people bitching about needing to save money and now wanting to overspend. But for gods' sake, I can never understand whining about "leftover points". Seriously, you're never EVER going to buy another download? Those points carryover so who cares if you have a leftover 20pts, they add-up with what's going to be leftover from your next transaction. A few transactions down the road and they even out.
Maybe I'm just peeved at the thought of how much money I save now when I stock-up from sales on these cards every 3 or 4 months and looking forward, what's going to happen when these MSRP $50 cards actually display how much they're dollar value is actually worth; PS3 cards are never on sale. Never.
Bowmanganie
Don't mind the points but make it 100 points = $1, not 80 points= $1. I agree with one of the posters, points make it easier for Microsoft to have a reward system, and also, since you can never, ever find anything to spend exactly the amount of points that you have left, there is always some change rattling around in the xbla coffers.
sweenster98
yea farewell Microsoft points now i can stop bringing a calculator to gamestop
insanecd
So umm.. instead of buying MPs just use the Bing Bar and earn MPs for free i've been using it since it has released and have been able to earn $60 worth of MPs for just searching the web.
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