Microsoft Points Die With Next Xbox 360 Update

[StewShearerOld]

Microsoft Points Die With Next Xbox 360 Update

CFO Marc Whitten has confirmed that Microsoft Points will be converted to real world currency with the next Xbox 360 update.

Maybe it's just a sign that we need to expand our social circle, but we can't think of a single person off the top of our collective head that's ever really liked Xbox Marketplace's use of points. They've always just struck as one of those things that adds an unnecessary layer of complexity to the purchasing process, whereas a price tag made up of dollars and cents would be self explanatory. Mercifully, it was confirmed at this <a href=http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/06/10/e3-2013-microsoft-kills-microsoft-points>year's E3 that Microsoft had finally made the decision to kill Microsoft Points and convert them into real world currencies.

Now, Marc Whitten, chief product officer for the Xbox One, has revealed that the demise of the Microsoft Point is coming sooner rather than later. In a recent post on the official Xbox website, Whitten confirmed that the changeover was coming with the next Xbox 360 update. "After the next Xbox 360 system update, when you go to buy something or redeem a Microsoft Points card or code on your console with your Microsoft account, we'll add to your account an amount of currency equal to or greater than the Xbox Marketplace value of your Microsoft Points, which will be retired," explained Whitten. Purchases on the Xbox Marketplace will, in turn, "be faster and easier than ever." The currency involved in the conversion will, of course, be dependent on the home region of each individual player.

While Microsoft Points will disappear with the next update, Microsoft Points cards will linger on until the company produces and distributes replacement cards that use actual currencies. Players who redeem Points cards after the update will simply receive the equivalent amount of money. The new Xbox Gift Cards will become available in late 2013.

Source: <a href=http://news.xbox.com/2013/08/xbox-one-local-currency>Xbox






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[Not Lord Atkin]

FINALLY some reasonably good news from Microsoft. Sure took them a while.

 

[CardinalPiggles]

Personally I didn't mind the points system but this way is objectively better for the consumer.

Well done Microsoft, I might just buy your console down the line (if it weren't for the Kinect).

 

[MCerberus]

Personally I didn't mind the points system but this way is objectively better for the consumer.

Well done Microsoft, I might just buy your console down the line (if it weren't for the Kinect).

The thing is the old system was designed to make you not realize it's messing with your brain. "Fun bucks", whether it's 'gems', 'coins', 'x points', or whatever obscure (and actually pretty effectively) how much money something costs from your brain. So people may not have hated it, per se, it's something people should have minded a lot more.

 

[Lunar Templar]

*tilts head* Now, maybe its all the F2P MMOs I play, and my general lack of first hand knowledge of XBL, but what was so bad about a 'points' system, exactly?

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

*tilts head* Now, maybe its all the F2P MMOs I play, and my general lack of first hand knowledge of XBL, but what was so bad about a 'points' system, exactly?

It's not bad per se, it's just completely redundant and serves no purpose. It did nothing better than just using real money.

Although there is some weird psychological stuff with having points instead of cash (i.e. the consumer not thinking of it as real money, meaning they'll be more willing to spend it. That's why F2P games do this.)

 

[Arkaijn]

Didn't this happen a month ago?

 

[Pyrian]

The thing is the old system was designed to make you not realize it's messing with your brain. "Fun bucks", whether it's 'gems', 'coins', 'x points', or whatever obscure (and actually pretty effectively) how much money something costs from your brain.

I think they did it wrong. See, for me, the high absolute numbers always make me think "that's too expensive" before even doing the conversion.

 

[UltimatheChosen]

*tilts head* Now, maybe its all the F2P MMOs I play, and my general lack of first hand knowledge of XBL, but what was so bad about a 'points' system, exactly?

It's not bad per se, it's just completely redundant and serves no purpose. It did nothing better than just using real money.

And, to add to that, you could only buy points in certain amounts, and those amounts generally didn't match up with the prices of actual items. So if, for example, you wanted something that costs 600 points, you had to buy 800 points.

 

[CrystalShadow]

Personally I didn't mind the points system but this way is objectively better for the consumer.

Well done Microsoft, I might just buy your console down the line (if it weren't for the Kinect).

The thing is the old system was designed to make you not realize it's messing with your brain. "Fun bucks", whether it's 'gems', 'coins', 'x points', or whatever obscure (and actually pretty effectively) how much money something costs from your brain. So people may not have hated it, per se, it's something people should have minded a lot more.

A lot of things to do with currency mess with your brain though...

I moved from Australia to the UK quite a while ago. Now, the exchange rate at the time was more than 2 dollars (closer to 2.5) to a pound, and the prices of items reflected this.
And, of course, I was well aware of this.

But meanwhile... "Oh look this DVD is only £12. What a bargain!)

Hold on a moment though... The average price of a DVD in Australia when I left was something like $35... Without any kind of discounts...

With a 2.5 to 1 exchange rate, that makes them about £14, typically, while 'full price' in the UK was often about £20...

Yeah... Some bargain...

But... Expectations about how much is 'cheap', and how much is 'expensive', can really mess with your head...

 

[Simple Bluff]

Didn't this happen a month ago?

That's what I was thinking. I bought Skyrim a couple of days ago on the XBLM and the transaction was with straightforward currency.

*tilts head* Now, maybe its all the F2P MMOs I play, and my general lack of first hand knowledge of XBL, but what was so bad about a 'points' system, exactly?

It's not bad per se, it's just completely redundant and serves no purpose. It did nothing better than just using real money.

Although there is some weird psychological stuff with having points instead of cash (i.e. the consumer not thinking of it as real money, meaning they'll be more willing to spend it. That's why F2P games do this.)

I'd like to add that it was a massive pain in the arse. If you wanted to buy (say) DLC that cost 1200 points, you would have to separately pay for a 1000 point bundle, a 500 point bundle (consequently meaning you had to pay for 300 extra points you didn't want) and then use those points to buy the product.

EDIT: Shoo, you godforsaken ninjas!

 

[cricket chirps]

So what happens to any left over points already currently on our accounts?

 

[tippy2k2]

Didn't this happen a month ago?

That's what I was thinking. I bought Skyrim a couple of days ago on the XBLM and the transaction was with straightforward currency.

Xbox Live stuff (like Arcade or DLC) has been in points. Xbox Live Digital Download (full games like Skyrim) always showed up in actual money. I have no clue why Microsoft did it that way...

So what happens to any left over points already currently on our accounts?

According to Microsoft's Xbox Reward's FAQ:

"To make this a seamless and positive experience for our customers, we have considered many factors to help ensure that the amount added to your Microsoft account will be of equal or greater Marketplace value than your Microsoft Points. Marketplace value may not always be equivalent to retail price. Retail price is determined by the Retailer, whereas Marketplace value reflects the value of Points throughout Microsoft stores."

In English: They're changing your Xbox Live points to real currency

 

[Something Amyss]

The thing is the old system was designed to make you not realize it's messing with your brain. "Fun bucks", whether it's 'gems', 'coins', 'x points', or whatever obscure (and actually pretty effectively) how much money something costs from your brain. So people may not have hated it, per se, it's something people should have minded a lot more.

Keep in mind that for a lot of us it's an easy conversion and we do it on the fly. Obviously not enough people, as it's successful, but some of us do forget that the rest of you mere mortals exist. >.>

I mean, regardless of my coping skills, it's a dumb system and actual currency should always be shown. I prefer PSN and Steam because they are honest and apply the real world numbers for you to see immediately. Even Nintendo has a slightly better system, since 100 pts is one dollar (an easy conversion) or whatever (don't use the system).

 

[Sight Unseen]

*tilts head* Now, maybe its all the F2P MMOs I play, and my general lack of first hand knowledge of XBL, but what was so bad about a 'points' system, exactly?

It tried to trick you into thinking things were cheaper than they really were. For example 80 MS points was equivalent to $1, and since 80 is smaller than 100 it tricks your mind into thinking its cheaper than it really is. At best, it adds unnecessary complexity and at worst it's manipulative and deceitful.

 

[Diablo1099_v1legacy]

Didn't this happen a month ago?

That's what I was thinking. I bought Skyrim a couple of days ago on the XBLM and the transaction was with straightforward currency.

Xbox Live stuff (like Arcade or DLC) has been in points. Xbox Live Digital Download (full games like Skyrim) always showed up in actual money. I have no clue why Microsoft did it that way...

They are most likely reporting about it now seeing how the official website posted the change recently.
Check the link, 9th of this month.

 

[Something Amyss]

Xbox Live stuff (like Arcade or DLC) has been in points. Xbox Live Digital Download (full games like Skyrim) always showed up in actual money. I have no clue why Microsoft did it that way...

There was talk of phasing it out even before they introduced GOD. I think they introduced real currency into GOD simply because it was easier not to have to fix it later. Of course, there's also the side effect that points were mostly an expansion pack deal (where you had to buy X points) and the configuration was such that people might be reticent to have 10-15 bucks left over in MSP after buying a game like skyrim, so they wanted to keep it where they could still use it to their advantage and not where it might be a disadvantage.

 

[MCerberus]

Keep in mind that for a lot of us it's an easy conversion and we do it on the fly. Obviously not enough people, as it's successful, but some of us do forget that the rest of you mere mortals exist. >.>

I mean, regardless of my coping skills, it's a dumb system and actual currency should always be shown. I prefer PSN and Steam because they are honest and apply the real world numbers for you to see immediately. Even Nintendo has a slightly better system, since 100 pts is one dollar (an easy conversion) or whatever (don't use the system).

That's the thing though, you 'know' how much you're spending, but the inner stupid parts of your brain don't. It's a fascinating line of research. "Screw with your brain" marketing does a lot you never realize.

 

[Ophiuchus]

I'd like to add that it was a massive pain in the arse. If you wanted to buy (say) DLC that cost 1200 points, you would have to separately pay for a 1000 point bundle, a 500 point bundle (consequently meaning you had to pay for 300 extra points you didn't want) and then use those points to buy the product.

Yup. Hopefully this means we'll be able to add specific amounts to our account rather than the current lump sums. If I have £8.20 in my account and I want to buy something that costs £10, being forced to add £5 is less than ideal.

 

[Rakor]

It kind of made sense to have a universal point system so it didn't have to be different for every country.

Now every country's version of xbox needs to track a different sort of currency and list different prices for stuff on xbl, as opposed to just having a different price for the card.

It doesn't really "make more sense" to use real currency, but it is more convenient for the end user. If they want to put in that extra effort for our convenience, then good on them I guess.