Xbox Live Rewards pilot program launches, gives points for purchases

by Griffin McElroy on Nov 3rd 2009 2:20PM

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!]

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Tags: microsoft, pilot-program, promotion, rewards, trial, Xbox-360, xbox-live, xbox-live-rewards

Reader Comments (57)

how bout 1 years =(

200 MSP, take a look at the chart.

I have a better idea, MAKE THIS SHIT FREE.

I used to be content with paying for Live because it was soooooo much better than PSN. But now...honestly, what am I paying for? PSN just as good as Live (ok pretty damn close) and I don't have to pay a dime.

No it isn't.

"Of course, we know in our hearts that someone out there will find a way."

That didn't take long at all

PSN is nowhere as good as Live. I'm fine with paying for Live so long as it continues to be a reliable and well-maintained service.

I've said this before and I'll say it again, STOP COMPARING XBL TO PSN!!!
Both services are on different consoles, so they don't need to be compared.

You just might be retarded.

@Kizzle

If you can tell me why Live is better it will put my wallet at ease.

@CheeziePotato

But they are similar. On Live I can download games, play my friends, and try demos just like I can on PSN...yet I have to pay for some odd reason.

Gentlemen, I'm not in anyway trying to start a Live vs PSN thread here; I'm simply questioning Microsoft's decision to charge for a service that's nearly identical for free on another video game system.

WINter....Qore is a MAGAZINE!!!

Who Gets a Magazine subscription for free!?!?

you can't even put that in there at all because XBL is NOT a damn Magazine....nor do you GET one....

@Chris D.
Qore isn't a magazine, it's a PSN show.

XBL has two things over PSN right now.

1) Party chat.

2) Cross game invites.

It's rumored that party chat is coming to PS3 with a future firmware update.

At that point, cross game invites isn't worth $50/year. In fact, cross game invites and party chat aren't worth $50/year, either.

Technically PS3 has party chat already but not in game.

@dogmatic

I appreciate your answer. It's nice to know some people will respond without hostility or calling me a retard.

Since I play both consoles I don't see everything as black and white as some of the folks here. Though that certainly has it's disadvantages when you're trying to have an honest conversation. People expect you to pick a side, you know?

Qore IS a Digital Magazine.....PULSE is a PSN Show...the Shows that are in Home are PSN Shows...Qore is a Magazine, that has bonus content such as games and Beta access

Naeem I know how you feel. I used to be skeptical about PSN till I got a PS3. Honestly, for basic purposes such as playing online and buying stuff off the Playstation store, it pretty good. Sure you don't get the features party chat and cross game invites but its not like the PSN lags a lot or under performs in any way. But I think the reason most people still stick with XBL is primarily due to the install base and how long its been out. I mean, most of our friends probably have XBL and we probably spent more time in general on XBL (like on gamerscore and such) so we're more dedicated to it.

They're trying to incorporate more benefits for Gold users, such as this and Deal of the Week. I don't imagine they'll lower the price anytime soon.

$30/year I think would be the sweet spot for Xbox Live. I only renew my account when I can find the cards for that price anyway.

I can't help but laugh at the way it goes "SILVER MEMBERS GET! :D" and then shows nada in the pic. At least they get marketplace and survey points.

I don't think they planned to leave the box empty, but they figured out at the last minute that "A Kick In The Nuts!" wouldn't fit cleanly in there.

@dark_inchworm
Deal of the Week hasn't been a deal for awhile. I got Braid and a PGR4 car pack through it and that was it, I think.

Are they going to be sending out emails after today or are they only sending the email to the people they have already sent them to? I really would like to be in this preview.

Sign ups ended like 2 weeks ago.

I'm in the program as of yesterday. Just FYI.

"Of course, we know in our hearts that someone out there will find a way."

Waaait for it....

I hope they are retroactive. lol

heh, I didn't say it was necessarily good - though I have bought quite a few featured items - I was just trying to demonstrate that, whether successfully or not, they're attempting to pack more value in rather than lower the cost of the service, and they will probably continue to follow that trend alone.

Whatever happened to that xbox diamond rewards card?

It still exists, but it's rarely spoken of and now you pay $6.95 for it. The deals appear to be better than before, but I would certainly hope so given that it isn't free anymore. Can't find whether it's a one-time payment or recurring.

I still enjoy sporting my old Diamond card, whether it does me any good or not.

Yah i remember filling that paperwork out and it said it should be in my mailbox within 8 to 16 weeks and its already on the 90th week WHERES MY DIAMOND CARD Microsoft!

I have one collecting dust on my shelf. Never could find any worthwhile deals to use it with. In fact I never found any use for it at all.

this is my problem with rewards: why not just make it cheaper?

rewards sound better, that's all.

To all the people who think M$ will drop the price of XBL:

No, they won't. Why? Because you are still paying for it. It's very simple economics. Don't bring up the cheap deals at Amazon, either, because Joe user is just going to shell out $50 and not bother looking online for a cheaper price.

I love how that picture shows that silver members get nothing. Microsoft is always trying to find a way to make Silver members feel like crap.

They should put a goose egg in there to fill in that dead space...

The first thee and the sixth rows are blank for Silver because they have to do with becoming Gold members (thus you won't be a silver member for awhile). Seems to be like a credit card cash back or Best Buy Rewards program where you spend money to get a little of it back.

The Make Your First Purchase on Xbox Marketplace is open to both, but you have to spend money (i.e. points) anyway to get them, and it's only good for one time.

Granted, MS could have come up with more ways to get points, regardless of gold/silver status. The blurb at the top of the Xbox Reward Center homepage hypes it up a bit much, IMO.

I'd say none of it bothers me, but then, I took the time to post this, so...you know...

I'm all for this, SOME people complain what do you get for a gold subscription, besides what we're already getting MS is offering even more now.

don't lie to yourself guys we all don't want to have to pay for live and acting like it isn't that bad is just kidding ourselves, we should continue to voice how annoying it is when the other guys have it for free... and maybe they will stop charging for it. So i think we should stop "acting" like it's not that big of a deal.

I agree. I ran into 3 "problems" with my Xbox.
1- I've got an earlier model that had a fairly small hard drive and purchasing a new one would cost 150$ (way overpriced). 2- I ran a cat5 cable from my router to the living room so I could connect my Xbox but it's kinda in the way. Purchasing the wireless adapter would cost 100$ (way overpriced again). 3- My yearly Xbox gold account was about to expire and since I don't game exclusively on my Xbox I didn't feel like spending another 50$ for a year's subscription but now I can't play online.
Total cost to fix these "problems" that my Xbox has: 300$. A brand new PS3 with build in wifi and a 120 Gig HD: 300$. Problems solved. I call that speaking with my wallet.

Is it pricey? That's arguable. Have they delivered? You betcha.

so sign ups were/are invite only? im disappointed that i never got an invitation to the rewards program but i cant find a signup link anywhere on googles first few pages. any suggestions?

I am part of the XBOX Live Rewards Pilot program. For the record, 60,000 XBOX Live members were asked to participate. Since XBOX Live has over 20 million users, as you can see a very small percentage were invited into the program. Everyone who is received an email the other day saying they received 100 marketplace points in their account for participating. I didn't, even though I have about 16,000 marketplace points already on my acccount. Yes, 16,000, which will probably take me years to use, but I didn't pay anything for them so I can't complain about 100 points not being added. But it appears there is already a hiccup with their system since the 100 weren't added. Hopefully others received their points though.

That's a shit load of points. Well always i was lucky enough to get in the program and i got 200 points.

i don't think it's too expensive either man but i'm 20 and have a good job.... think of how many people have an xbox that can't even have a job yet and have to convince their parents. All i'm getting at is yes it's a great service but we should stop acting like it's okay because that's shows MS that we're content with their pricing. It's the same way sony stated they could charge less for the pspGO but it's new so they can. Same shady perspective so we should complain and voice our opposition instead of bending over so to speak.

i'm confused, i'm in the Facebook/Twitter Beta so was this included in that update, or is this another thing entirely?

Way to go Xbox! This is a good Loyalty program!

A lot of the reward offers are 5% or less and don't even start off at that rate. The surveys could help though.

By that math if I spend $1000...oh, I mean, 80,000 microsoft points then it will have paid for my yearly subscription.

I'd like to see Microsoft extend this to buying accessories and games. Maybe that will make people more willing to give $150 for a 120GB harddrive.

I was lucky enough to get in, and if you look, it does say that you won't get any points until the third month (as in, the 100 points from the initial survey).

FYI to everyone, check this.
This is the site everyone got:
http://www.xbox.com/en-us/live/rewards/orange

Theres a secondary site though:
http://www.xbox.com/en-us/live/rewards/green

Maybe this is the second program?

Hmmm, that survey one is a sick deal. Also, I hope I can get my "Make first purchase, receive 100 points"!

why should it be free? We aren't commies. Why do gamers expect special privileges from every company? They dont give a shit about loyalty, we get fucked in the ass by every other industry, why should we expect special treatment because we use this one more?

live & psn are like everything out there , some prefer to pay other want shit for free .just like some guy will date women that weigh in at say 170 lb other rather date those that weigh 115lb to 125lbs ,it all about choices . or if you perfer think about like if you were buying a BMW or a LEXUS they pretty much have simlar items but yet they vary in price. it's about what you want or are willing to pay for .me i perfer a service i pay for cause when shit is messed up i can complain about it & i must be listen to cause i pay for said service .jmo

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Xbox Live Rewards pilot program launches, gives points for purchases

Reader Comments (57)

Posted: Nov 3rd 2009 2:27PM (Unverified) said

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