Microsoft Marks GfW-Xbox Merger With "Million Microsoft Points Giveaway"

[Andy Chalk]

Microsoft Marks GfW-Xbox Merger With "Million Microsoft Points Giveaway"

Microsoft is offering 400 free Microsoft Points to the first 2500 people who actually make a purchase from the Games for Windows Marketplace between now and the beginning of August.

Microsoft's latest and greatest step in its ongoing effort to save PC gaming [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/101550-Microsoft-Pledges-to-Save-PC-Gaming-Again] was the recent folding of Games for Windows into Xbox.com and to celebrate that bold maneuver, the company is holding a "One Million Microsoft Points Giveaway" promotion. Just be one of the first 2500 people to actually buy something from the GfW Marketplace and Microsoft will email you a code for 400 Microsoft Points, absolutely free.

"Games for Windows Marketplace is open to millions of Xbox Live gamers around the world," Microsoft said in a message that I have to admit left me completely baffled. "Log in with your Xbox Live account and enjoy a single unified identity across Xbox Live and Games for Windows - Live. It's the same gamertag, friends list, achievements and gamerscore on both platforms."

The contest began today and runs until 11:59 pm on August 1, or until all points are gone, whichever comes first, but unlike the Games for Windows Marketplace it's open only to citizens of the United States. And surely I can't be the only one who finds it disheartening or maybe schadenfreudistically hilarious that Microsoft is effectively admitting that it might not be able to ring up 2500 GfW Marketplace sales over the course of an entire freakin' week? Come on, guys, Steam [http://store.steampowered.com] probably racked up 2500 sales in the time it took me to type that sentence.

For more information about how you can earn 400 free MS points just by purchasing something from the GfW Marketplace [please, anyone], check out Xbox.com [http://www.xbox.com/en-US/Marketplace/Promotions/Million-Microsoft-Points-Offer]. The Games for Windows Marketplace is also now available at Xbox.com, under "Games + Marketplace" [third tab from the left], between Xbox Downloads and Avatars.


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[Elijin]

Games for Windows Live always used my xbox gamertag. It was one of the (many) annoying bits about the service, since I couldn't play two completely unrelated games at the same time, due to both demanding (on different mediums) to access my account.

It was just one of many reasons why I avoided (and will continue to avoid) GFWL. Also, 400 points? That's just insulting.

 

[Catchy Slogan]

Doesn't really sound like a lot for a company such as Microsoft. plus it's probably cheaper on Steam. Even with the extra 400 points.

 

[Nalgas D. Lemur]

Microsoft's latest and greatest step in its ongoing effort to save PC gaming [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/101550-Microsoft-Pledges-to-Save-PC-Gaming-Again]

How to save PC gaming:

Step one: Kill GFWL.
Step two: There is no step two.

 

[Rad Party God]

Microsoft's latest and greatest step in its ongoing effort to save PC gaming [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/101550-Microsoft-Pledges-to-Save-PC-Gaming-Again]

How to save PC gaming:

Step one: Kill GFWL.
Step two: There is no step two.

Step one: Kill GFWL
Step two: ???
Step three: Profit!

Is Microsoft seriously that desperate?, no serious PC gamer in his/her sane mind would buy something from GFWL, I know I wouldn't. Mostly because of the baffling prices they have for my region. Puhleeze, Arkham Asylum costs ~$60 (can't verify at the moment, because it seems that the page is down, fucking FAIL) while in Steam, without discount it's at $30.

I'd wholeheartedly say, fuck you Microsoft.

 

[Vanbael]

Wow. Um... no. Microsoft first needs to stop throwing money around. If they want to compete with steam, they need to;
-Kill the MS Point system, seriously, its dumb as fuck.
-Use the money that they want to throw at us for free and create some decent deals
-Stop making it sound like PC gaming is dying

 

[Zephirius]

Sad. Way to alienate all non-Americans in your audience and give us yet another reason to want nothing to do with GfW, Microsoft.

I have no respect or admiration for nation-limited giveaways, legal issues or no.
It's half the reason I don't even bother to read about any contest most US-based gaming sites host anymore.

 

[twm1709]

lol, this article made my day xD

 

[Nalgas D. Lemur]

Is Microsoft seriously that desperate?, no serious PC gamer in his/her sane mind would buy something from GFWL, I know I wouldn't. Mostly because of the baffling prices they have for my region. Puhleeze, Arkham Asylum costs ~$60 (can't verify at the moment, because it seems that the page is down, fucking FAIL) while in Steam, without discount it's at $30.

I'd wholeheartedly say, fuck you Microsoft.

Although obnoxiously even the Steam version makes you use GFWL just to be able to play it. As awesome as it's supposed to be, and as cheap as it's gone on sale on Steam (I know I've seen $7.50 at least once or twice), I still haven't gotten it, because I'm not putting up with Steam, GFWL, and SecuROM all simultaneously on the same game. That's just asking for trouble and something to not work...

 

[Irridium]

Only 400 points?

That's $5 USD.

Very, very few things that are actually worth the 400 points are on their marketplace. Everything else is either 800 or 1200 points. Or $10 USD and $15 USD, respectively.

Yeah, screw you Microsoft.

 

[Acidwell]

Games for windows live is what broke Dawn of war 2 on me so i'll tell you what microsoft: give me 1000 points for every time I think of installing a GFWL game and then i'll consider buying one.

 

[manythings]

I'll stick to using better services.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

While Steam give away the equivalent of 400 Microshaft points daily. Even if you don't buy something.

 

[shaboinkin]

I think what I find hilarious is the "first 2500 people"

...that's not a lot no is it?

 

[Caliostro]

Right now Steam is laughing while it holds its regular "daily deal" (today's is 75% off of a 20 bucks game, so effectively "giving" you 15 if you buy it). They do one of these everyday. And more on weekends. Sometimes midweek too. Not to comment on special occasions like Summer or Christmas.

Meanwhile Microsoft is going "BUHUH... COME BACK! I PROMISE I'LL TREAT YOU RIGHT THIS TIME!!".

 

[Haz88]

How much is a MS-point anyway? It's for the same reason that I haven't bought anything from the Nintendo-marketplace-thingie. I have no way of telling if it's a good deal or not until I check my bank account. And if 400 points is the equivalent of $5 as some mentioned, then they might have a hard time finding 2500 people inside the gaming community to hook up.

 

[Epona]

Right now Steam is laughing while it holds its regular "daily deal" (today's is 75% off of a 20 bucks game, so effectively "giving" you 15 if you buy it). They do one of these everyday. And more on weekends. Sometimes midweek too. Not to comment on special occasions like Summer or Christmas.

Meanwhile Microsoft is going "BUHUH... COME BACK! I PROMISE I'LL TREAT YOU RIGHT THIS TIME!!".

Save $15 on a game you don't want anyway (ie, you save nothing because you won't buy it in the first place) or get $5 back on any game purchase. The latter actually sounds better if only GFWL had a decent selection to choose from.

So how do yo know if you're one of the first 2500 people?

 

[ph0b0s123]

Microsoft's latest and greatest step in its ongoing effort to save PC gaming

This is what is considered as their 'greatest' step in 'saving' PC gaming. WOW, just WOW.....