An end to Microsoft Points?

by Steven Williamson on 21 January 2010, 12:35

Tags: Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Platform

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When Game Informer interviewed Xbox Live General Manager Mark Whitten about Microsoft points a few weeks ago he left readers with more questions than answers, dodging the question about whether Microsoft would eventually scrap the fantasy currency.

Microsoft points are currently used to purchase content without a credit card on Xbox Live Marketplace and the Games For Windows Live platform, but criticism has been aimed at the company by some gamers who believe that the fantasy currency is misleading.

Today, Xbox bigwig Aaron Greenberg has stepped forward to answer those criticisms and it looks like although Microsoft Points are probably here to stay, the company may look at altering the current system to show real prices.

Speaking to G4TV, Greenberg said:

"We never intended to ever mislead people. We want to be transparent about it, and so it is something that we're looking at.

"How can we be more transparent and let people see it in actual dollars? You've got to think that we have one service that we’re offering around the world. The nice thing about Points is that no matter if you're on the JPY or the EUR or the USD – something that's 200 Points is 200 Points everywhere around the world.

"There's more technical complexities to being able to put local prices in. You have to do that for every product in every country and you then have to deal with currency fluctuations. So there's some challenges to that, but we absolutely did it with the Games on Demand, response has been good and absolutely it’s something we're looking at doing."


The first person to tell us how much 150 Microsoft points is worth can give themselves a big pat on the back, we haven’t got a clue.


HEXUS Forums :: 23 Comments

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There's more technical complexities to being able to put local prices in. You have to do that for every product in every country and you then have to deal with currency fluctuations.

is that not a bit like saying “we can't be arsed”? I despise the points scheme.

I've always wondered if a ‘platinum’ xbox live license couldn't be bought, to allow ‘unlimited’ purchase of extra game content? Not sure how it'd be implemented, but it's a good idea :P
The first person to tell us how much 150 Microsoft points is worth can give themselves a big pat on the back, we haven’t got a clue.

why? quick amazon looks shows its £17 for 2100/150=14, so £17/14= about £1.20 150ms points are worth £1.20 at “amazons current exchange rate”
MadduckUK
why? quick amazon looks shows its £17 for 2100/150=14, so £17/14= about £1.20 150ms points are worth £1.20 at “amazons current exchange rate”

have you patted your back yet? :D
well since the price of ms points is not fixed it makes no difference if we know the “actual worth” of dlc and the like.

the only thing paying real money directly for stuff is going to do is put an end to super cheap bulk buys of point and it will end up costing us more. Everybody shut up its fine as it is
MadduckUK
Everybody shut up its fine as it is

ahh… the old Chinese diplomacy….