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Xbox Live Rewards members get $5 extra in online pre-orders
This holiday season, Xbox Live Rewards members will receive 15,000 credits – the equivalent of $15 – per game pre-ordered and shipped through the online Microsoft Store. The offer is valid on up to three games. Everyone who pre-orders a game via the Microsoft Store website gets $10 for the Store or Xbox Live, meaning Rewards members are getting a $5 bump. "So order Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare for yourself and Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham as a holiday gift, and get 30,000 credits to redeem on games, map packs, season passes, movies, TV shows and more," Microsoft writes on Xbox Wire. "Xbox Live Rewards members will receive 15,000 rewards credits, 5,000 credits more than non-Rewards members receive, for each game pre-ordered on both Xbox One and Xbox 360." Microsoft re-launched its Xbox Live Rewards program last year after phasing out Microsoft Points in favor of real-world, local currencies. [Image: Microsoft]
Earn credits to get dollars in relaunched Xbox Live Rewards service
Microsoft phased out Microsoft Points in favor of what we call "real people dollars," and is now re-launching its Xbox Live Rewards service. Now, when players use Xbox Live to perform actions like renewing their Gold subscription or referring friends, they will be rewarded with hundreds or even thousands of credits. Once players haul in at least 5,000 credits, the earnings are converted to local currency and deposited into their Microsoft account around the 15th and 30th of each month. Players that have earned at least 1,000 credits can request an early deposit. The conversion rate is $5 for every 5,000 credits.
Xbox Live Rewards phasing out points next month, transition unveiled in Sept.
Xbox Live Rewards is doing away with Microsoft Points-based bonuses as of August 1, but the service itself is staying put, albeit in a new, as-yet-unannounced form. A Microsoft statement dates the bean-spill on that for September 1. At E3, Microsoft revealed the demise of Xbox Live's space-bucks ahead of the Xbox One's launch in November. The exact time-of-death has yet to be announced, but this week's news suggests those in the sooner-the-better camp won't be disappointed.
Xbox Live Rewards introduces monthly Play to Earn incentives
Starting this month, the Xbox Live Rewards program is getting a little more active with Play to Earn incentives. As the name implies, Play to Earn allows Xbox Live Rewards members to earn extra rewards by purchasing and playing games. The month of April is dedicated to Xbox Live Arcade, and several rewards are up for grabs. As you might expect, the best ones require you to pony up a little dough.Playing 20 hours of XBLA games this month will net Rewards members a free Avatar item, while purchasing four XBLA games costing at least 400 MS Points each will earn a free month of Xbox Live Gold. Finally, members who spend 3200 MS Points on XBLA games will receive 800 MS Points back.That applies to any XBLA games, though Major Nelson conveniently notes that there are quite a few games coming out this month, including Battleblock Theater, Terraria, Monaco, Double Dragon 2, God Mode, Sacred Citadel and Motocross Madness.
Play Halo 4 multiplayer a whole lot, get free Microsoft Points
Xbox Live Rewards is offering free Microsoft Points to players who plunge their lives into Halo 4 multiplayer. There's a maximum 800 MSP up for grabs, 600 of it for playing 140-plus hours of Halo 4 multiplayer, and 200 for spending at least 3000 MSP on Halo Marketplace content. The catch? You've got until November 30 to put in the time.If you like freebies but don't like the idea of a whole month playing one game's multiplayer, the good news is you get 300 MSP for playing 70 hours, and 100 MSP for 35 hours. And if you only have 1500 MSP spare for Halo stuff this month, you still get 100 MSP back. You should note Microsoft says there's a maximum total of 10 million MSP on offer across all players, and they'll be doled out on a "first-come, first-serve basis."FYI, clocking in 140 hours of Halo 4 mulitplayer by the end of the month equates to just under six hours each day. That's roughly a third of your waking life in November. To put that in persp... what's that? Oh, right. See you in December, then.
Watch election coverage on Xbox Live, get avatar armor
Xbox Live Rewards members that tune in to live election coverage via Xbox Live on three of four scheduled dates will receive Halo 4 Warrior armor for their avatars. Viewers will be able to participate in live polling as well as present poll questions via Twitter using the hashtag #XboxPoll.The four debates, of which viewers need to watch three to get their totally-not-real Halo armor, are all scheduled for 9:00 p.m. Eastern 6:00PT: October 3, 2012: Presidential Debate on Foreign Policy October 11, 2012: Vice-Presidential Debate October 16, 2012: Presidential Debate on Domestic Policy October 22, 2012: Presidential Debate
Xbox Live rewarding Gamerscore with rebates and birthday gifts
Xbox Live Rewards is now offering players rebates on Marketplace purchases, based on their Gamerscore. Gold members with more than 25000 Achievement Points get 2 percent back (in Microsoft Points) on Xbox Live purchases made each month. Gold members with more than 10000 APs get a 1 percent rebate, while all Gold members with 3000+ APs get a "special gift" in the months of their birthdays. We do note the fine print says the gift has an approximate retail value of 25 cents. But it's the thought that counts, right?Microsoft teased a tie-in between Achievements and Xbox Live Rewards earlier this year, and now the company's made good on that tease. Still, we'd like to see those die-hard players with more than 50K or 100K worth of APs get some properly sizable rewards, something like 5 and 10 percent rebates, respectively. At that rate we suppose Microsoft would have to reward the guy working up to one million APs with everything on the Marketplace ... which he must already own anyway.Gold members must sign up to the Xbox Live Rewards scheme to get the bonuses. Otherwise the'll have to make do with measly real-life birthday presents.
Xbox Live Rewards to (somehow) tie into Achievements this Fall [Update: MS statement added]
Soon you'll have new ways to earn Xbox Live Rewards. The official Twitter account for Microsoft's wing that incentivizes friend referrals and surveys with free MS Points has announced Achievement functionality is coming this fall. The problem is we don't exactly know what that means right now.A tweet issued earlier today simply promises "a new way to earn Rewards based on your Achievements," coming this fall. We hope this means difficult Achievements will net us MS Points – we definitely deserve a bonus for earning all of the Achievements in Avatar: The Legend of Aang: The Burning Earth – but that's speculation until Microsoft gets back to us.Update: Microsoft wouldn't go into specifics and instead offered us the following statement: "We don't have many details to provide at this time, but can say that based on our member feedback, we're constantly looking for ways to continue enhancing and improving our Xbox Live Rewards program."
Xbox Live Rewards glitch awarding extra MS Points
Either there's something wrong with the Xbox Live Rewards program, or it has become very, very rewarding indeed. Reports have been circulating today that Xbox Rewards members have been receiving an extra helping of MS Points in their Xbox Live accounts. Just how big an extra helping? Well, that seems to vary, along with exactly which members are getting the excess points. We can confirm that at least some Rewards members are definitely getting extra points, as two of our own staff members found their accounts overflowing with Microsoft space bucks earlier today. In one case, as evidenced by the image after the break, the same amount of points was deposited a whopping seven times. Microsoft is currently "investigating" the issue.
Xbox Live Rewards loyalty program goes live in the US and UK
Spend an embarrassing amount of your life immersed in the Xbox Live universe? It's cool -- we all do. But now, you'll actually have a better reason to ignore whoever's yelling at you to disconnect. Microsoft has just launched its Xbox Live Rewards loyalty program after testing it out last year, but for now it's only available to US and UK-based gamers. As our compadres over at Joystiq mention, it's a lot like Club Nintendo, but instead of getting gear, you'll be awarded Microsoft Points for doing things you'd already be doing anyway. Gamers can look for a ten point boost for renewing a one-month membership, a 400 point increase for buying / renewing a family plan or 100 points for activating Netflix -- and that's just the start. Hit the source link to join up. It's free, you know.
Xbox Live Rewards program launches
The "Xbox Live Rewards" program tested over a year ago is now a real thing. The website for the US/UK-only loyalty program is now live, and you can sign up and check out the rewards. It's kind of like Club Nintendo, except instead of fans and tote bags, you get Microsoft Points and Microsoft Points. The bonuses range from 10 MSP for renewing a one-month membership, all the way to 400 for buying or renewing a family plan. You can also get 100 points for activating Netflix, unspecified bonuses for buying certain things on Marketplace, and an occasional 20 points for taking surveys. Microsoft also promises "cool prizes" in promotions. As Club Nintendo users know, there is basically no downside to a loyalty program like this. You do the stuff you were going to do anyway, and then someone gives you free stuff periodically. [Thanks, Blacked Out]
Xbox Live Rewards pilot program launches, gives points for purchases
A number of Xbox Live subscribers recently received invitations to a promising pilot program which grants them bonuses for a number of their usual online activities. Earlier today, Microsoft revealed exactly how the six-month trial program, which is appropriately titled "Xbox Live Rewards," operates. Basically, users can earn complimentary Microsoft Points by renewing their subscriptions, purchasing Marketplace content, taking part in surveys, or doing a number of other activities which are clearly laid out in this helpful chart. Okay, so the number of points you can accumulate using the Rewards program isn't really enormous, and according to the invitation's fine print, you can't spend the points you earn until the first three months of the trial are up. Still, you get free Microbucks for doing stuff you'd probably be doing anyways, so it's hard to complain about that. Of course, we know in our hearts that someone out there will find a way. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Xbox Rewards program giving out the goods
If you've been participating in the Xbox Rewards program then take a look at your account. HHHawk sent word that he received his prizes in code form to redeem on Xbox Live. So, if you've completed the Old Spice Experience Challenge and pressed "I'm Finished", you can redeem whatever goods you were promised. To locate your prize codes, login into the Xbox Rewards website and make your way to the "My Xbox Rewards" section. Then, head to the "My Rewards" section where, if you completed the challenge, you'll find codes for your prizes. We still aren't sure about the physical prizes that the level three players earned, but hopefully someone can shed light onto that situation. Remember, the Old Spice Experience Challenge has been extended until April 22nd, so get to work if you haven't earned your 1500 Gamerscore.Also, we just noticed that the Xbox Rewards website conveniently keeps track of your progress for each challenge. To see how much more Gamerscore you need to complete the Old Spice Experience Challenge, head to the challenge's main page and click the "I'm Finished" button (even though you know you aren't finished). If you haven't earned all 1500 Gamerscore then a window will pop up telling you how much more you need. Nice touch isn't it?[Thanks, HHHawk]
