... With the explosion of Microsoft's Xbox Live service, game publishers at last had a way of delivering tweaks and updates to games to increase a games life, as well as to tempt new buyers with the promise of unique new content. Of course this new content cost money to produce, so a simple payment ... Read review
Advantages: Easy way to purchase additional content Disadvantages: Over pricing of download content
...system of tokens known as Microsoft points were decided upon. Members of the public could purchase these points either online or off in varying increments as their hearts desired, and redeem them on Xbox Live. Not only would this be easier for the average Xbox Live member to procure the points it was also a canny way for Microsoft to avoid an avalanche of credit card transaction fees had they of only accepted credit cards online. In the UK Microsoft ... ...purchases are linked to your Microsoft Xbox game-tag. Microsoft Points can be stacked online as well, so you can build up a nice amount before spending.
So you've purchased the points and loaded your game-tag, but what is there to spend your hard earned credits on? Well, quite a lot as it happens. From skins and pictures to personalize your Xbox dashboard, to extra game content to extend the life of that killer game you can't get enough ... more
They say "money makes the world go round", and nowhere is this truer than in the cut throat world of console gaming. Time was you purchased a game, stuck it in the console and played it 'til completion before discarding it in a corner to gather dust. But, as games advanced so did the consumers yearning for a fuller gaming experience - games nowadays cost upwards of £30, and for that sort of investment players expect an evolving gaming experience for their money. With the explosion of Microsoft's Xbox Live service, game publishers at last had a way of delivering tweaks and updates to games to increase a games life, as well as to tempt new buyers with the promise of unique new content. Of course this new content cost money to produce, so a simple payment method was needed that was accessible to the masses (and those without credit cards).
After no little head scratching by the great and good at Microsoft, a system of tokens known as Microsoft points were decided upon. Members of the public could purchase these points either online or off in varying increments as their hearts desired, and redeem them on Xbox Live. Not only would this be easier for the average Xbox Live member to procure the points it was also a canny way for Microsoft to avoid an avalanche of credit card transaction fees had they of only accepted credit cards online. In the UK Microsoft Points are typically sold on cards of 2100 for a little under twenty pounds, although bargains can occasionally be found (Amazon currently ask for a penny under eighteen pounds). To use, the purchaser simply scratches a panel on the card to reveal a unique sixteen digit code. This code can then be entered on the "Marketplace" screen on the Xbox, and with no expiry date the points can be used at leisure.
Using the points to purchase content is just as straight forward; Items in the Marketplace will either have "free" or "xxx points" next to them. Once selected you will be asked if you are sure you want to spend the requisite amount of points on the download - clicking yes starts the content download onto your hard drive while deducting the points from your balance. The good thing about this system is that if you accidently delete content you have previously purchased you can download it again for free, as purchases are linked to your Microsoft Xbox game-tag. Microsoft Points can be stacked online as well, so you can build up a nice amount before spending.
So you've purchased the points and loaded your game-tag, but what is there to spend your hard earned credits on? Well, quite a lot as it happens. From skins and pictures to personalize your Xbox dashboard, to extra game content to extend the life of that killer game you can't get enough of. But perhaps the biggest attractions are the numerous Arcade games ready to titillate and excite. Retro gamers will be drooling at the shear depth of content available - games like Pac-man, Castlevania and Prince of Persia to name but three. These games typically cost 800 Microsoft points (Roughly ten pounds) and take little time to download. You can also download free trial versions of most paid for content just so you can make sure you like a game or item enough to part with your points.
Of course this method of paying for content has not been without its problems. When Activision released new downloadable song packs for the hugely successful Guitar Hero 2 game there was outcry at the high price they were asking. Three songs would set back the aspiring Hendrix 500 points (just over four pounds). Not too ghastly on the face of it but then people started working out that if fans of the game wanted to download all of the upcoming download songs it would cost as much as the game all over again - Plastic guitars were thrown hither and dither in disgust! On the other side of the coin, the producers of the popular Forza 2 game decided to give away the majority of its first downloadable content, offering a smattering of free cars to loyal fans worldwide. They did charge for one car though, but at fifty Microsoft Points (forty-two pence or thereabouts) few complained.
My opinion - and that's what you're here for - Is that Microsoft Points have made online game play and updating easy, and have contributed in no small way to Xbox Lives' massive success. Minors can be bought a card by Parents, safe in the knowledge that they can only use up to the 2100 points (a lot safer than handing your average fourteen year old a credit card!) and people who prefer a physical item can purchase the card on the high street. One criticism I have though (and this is not extraordinary to Microsoft Points) Is the difference between prices of the points in different countries. No surprise that America get a lot more point for their buck, but it is rather annoying that the UK seems to be the most expensive. One hundred Points costs $1.25 stateside, while the UK equivalent would cost us $1.70! Come on Microsoft, Prices in Japan, Canada and Australia are close to the American model, so why not here? Just to rub salt in an inflamed wound - Different Countries Points cannot be redeemed outside their territory, so looking on the US eBay site for bargains is a waste of time.
Rant over; still an easy way to buy content, four stars out of five from me.
tractor-boy 16.10.2007 (16.10.2007)
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Review of Microsoft Official Xbox 360 - Xbox Live 2100 Pts Card (2100 Microsoft Points Card)
Advantages: Buy lots of great content, New content going up all the time. Disadvantages: Gamer Pictures and Themes are overpriced, The fact they are points mean you spend more!
Microsoft Points are what you need to purchase content from Microsoft's online service Xbox Live. Some people get these confused with Gamerscore points, which you earn by getting achievements in games but these you have to pay for!
Points
You can get Microsoft points directly from the Xbox 360 console, but if you don't feel happy about giving Microsoft direct access to your credit card you can purchase a Microsoft points card in store. You can ... ...and then type in your Microsoft points code. Make sure you read it very carefully as it is easy to mix up numbers and letters if you input them too quickly! The Microsoft Points should now be linked to your account and you will be able to spend them on all sorts of content.
Content
So now you have some points, you have a variety of options available to you. Firstly you may think about getting Themes and Gamer pictures, a theme will change the entire ...
hackersupr 22.03.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Microsoft Official Xbox 360 - Xbox Live 2100 Pts Card (2100 Microsoft Points Card)
Advantages: Download cool content over Xbox Live, makes games last longer e.t.c Disadvantages: A little expensive
...over getting them direct from Microsoft which means if you want any downloads for your Xbox which are not free (which most are not!) you get a points card. Online you can buy points cards for about £15- £17 which makes 100 points between £0.71 and £0.80 approximately. The problem is that although the content is great the prices are quite expensive for these cards which make everything else expensive. Most people buy arcade games which cost between ... ...map packs which cost 800 points. Map packs are available now for nearly all popular shooters and games like Halo, Call of Duty and Gears of war all have map packs. However I do wonder whether I do recommend Xbox Live Points Cards as they allow you to download all sorts of wonderful things from the Marketplace however they do come at a price and I do sometimes wonder whether developers have made these add-ons when games are released and are just waiting ...
mariofan123 29.07.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Microsoft Official Xbox 360 - Xbox Live 2100 Pts Card (2100 Microsoft Points Card)
Advantages: Loads of stuff to buy with them Disadvantages: Price, Packaging
...today I will be reviewing Microsoft Points In case you haven't heard of these they are an online currency used by Microsoft for its Xbox Live and Games for Windows Live content. On this particular product you get 2100 points this is worth around £17.50 you can get these in stores and online. If you buy through the Xbox or Xbox.com using a credit card then you can either buy 500, 1000, 2000 or 5000 points. What can you buy? You can get loads of different ... ...You can rent films with Microsoft Points. This lets you have the film for 7 days and then 24hrs when you first watch it. The cost varies for these. One complaint I have about these is the packaging that they come in if you but in stores. The code for the points is on a small credit card size piece of plastic. This is inside a game case which seems a complete waste of plastic and space. A lot of people have complained to Microsoft about this and they ...
coolguymcd 10.11.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Microsoft Official Xbox 360 - Xbox Live 2100 Pts Card (2100 Microsoft Points Card)
Advantages: download conent - games, films, music videos, themes, etc Disadvantages: if only this stuff was free!!
...gamers from across the world.
Microsoft points are also extremely great to have and can really increase your choices and enjoyability of playing the xbox 360. With these points you can purchase many different things on the xbox live marketplace.
The first thing you can buy is an xbox live arcade game. These are classic old style games whose prices range from 400 to 1200 points. Some of my personal favourites are:
- Worms (800 points)
- Uno (400 ... ...As you can see having microsoft points can truly unlock the full potential of this amazing console and can enable you to do so much more. It will make playing your xbox so much more fun and you could even just sit down and watch a film of your choice.
2100 points is definitely worth having and is great value for money.
Thanks for reading ...
shamis4 18.06.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Microsoft Official Xbox 360 - Xbox Live 2100 Pts Card (2100 Microsoft Points Card)
Advantages: Fast - easy - suitable for any ages - no credit card - safe - cheap Disadvantages: have to go shop to buy them instead of buying off the market place directly
What are MicroSoft points?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Microsoft Points are the currency of the Xbox Live Marketplace. The points allow users to purchase content without a credit card, and reduce the number of small credit card transaction fees which Microsoft would otherwise pay. Many downloads on the Xbox Live Marketplace are free, but for premium content, such as full versions of arcade games and some types of downloadable content to further the experience ... ...a certain pre-determined amount of Microsoft Points which can be added to any Xbox Live account using a code located on the card. Cards typically come in denominations of 1600, 2100, or 4000 Points, depending on the country. Once used, cards have no further value and cannot be "recharged" or partially redeemed.
The typical price range for Cards of these values are:
1600=$20.00
2100=£17.50
4000=$49.99
Obviously these prices will vary from site ...
king1mate 16.05.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Microsoft Official Xbox 360 - Xbox Live 2100 Pts Card (2100 Microsoft Points Card)
Product Information for "Microsoft Official Xbox 360 - Xbox Live 2100 Pts Card (2100 Microsoft Points Card)" »
Product details
Type
Xbox Live, Online Points
Console Type
Xbox 360
Region
PAL Version. The Format for UK, Europe, Australia & New Zealand
Long Name
Official Xbox 360 - Xbox Live 2100 Pts Card (2100 Microsoft Points Card)
Manufacturer
Microsoft
EAN
882224092166, 882224628372
MPN
52M - 00046
Manufacturer's product description
This gives you 2100 pts to spend on Xbox Live Marketplace:
The Xbox Live Marketplace will provide a one-stop shop for consumers to download new game trailers, demos, and episodic content, along with new game levels, maps, weapons, vehicles, ``skins,'' and other types of new content on demand. The Xbox Live Marketplace is accessible to everyone who connects their Xbox 360 console to a broadband connection and creates an Xbox Live account
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