Microsoft loses lots of money thanks to real "Free MS points" site

[Levi93]

Microsoft points are a pretty dumb way of dealing with purchases, I mean they could charge you directly meaning you get what you pay for but the Microsoft point system you are forced to buy a set amount and always get 40 or so points left over that you can't spend.

The Playstations, Apples and Valves methods are just better IMO where I can just use straight forward system of paying for things.

 

[the_pleasure_is_mine]

Ever wondered why they use points instead of currency or why you can't buy specific points, only set amount? Through points, they're screwing you over. Say you want to buy enough for a game that costs 800 points. When you're purchasing the points, you've got to pay an extra few bucks for those extra 200. They're screwing you over.

No I already knew that, I've already seen the figures.

They make like an extra penny on every 100 or something similar.

They're hardly stealing pounds off of every purchase.

The devs still get their cut, and we still get our product, not that immoral.

 

[Dejawesp]

Microsoft's points system is morally corrupt, and therefor, they have no right to complain when others cheat them in an immoral way.

How so?

Ever wondered why they use points instead of currency or why you can't buy specific points, only set amount? Through points, they're screwing you over. Say you want to buy enough for a game that costs 800 points. When you're purchasing the points, you've got to pay an extra few bucks for those extra 200.

Because people are more inclined to spend "points" rather than money. It helps to hide the true value.

But the numbers are all there readily available so you can hardly accuse them of scamming anyone.

 

[Ickorus]

Yeah, it's going to be really hard for Microsoft to figure out which accounts added 160 points over and over on that day. Prepare your righteous outrage now so you can claim to be shocked when we all find out that their Live accounts, consoles, and credit cards have all been banned forever.

I swear, the people that use these things just don't use common sense. Everything you do on your account is logged.

This is a much better way of saying what I was going to say.

Im just gonna sit back with some popcorn and enjoy the show.

 

[the_pleasure_is_mine]

Microsoft points are a pretty dumb way of dealing with purchases, I mean they could charge you directly meaning you get what you pay for but the Microsoft point system you are forced to buy a set amount and always get 40 or so points left over that you can't spend.

The Playstations, Apples and Valves methods are just better IMO where I can just use straight forward system of paying for things.

I don't have a card I can use online.

Playstations, Apples and Valves methods are now completely unusable to me.

In comes MSP, something I can pay for in store.

 

[majaman]

That is what they get for making me pay for gold just so I can use Netflix on xbox, a subscription I am already paying for.

 

[AzrealMaximillion]

Microsoft points are a pretty dumb way of dealing with purchases, I mean they could charge you directly meaning you get what you pay for but the Microsoft point system you are forced to buy a set amount and always get 40 or so points left over that you can't spend.

The Playstations, Apples and Valves methods are just better IMO where I can just use straight forward system of paying for things.

I don't have a card I can use online.

Playstations, Apples and Valves methods are now completely unusable to me.

In comes MSP, something I can pay for in store.

Umm, Playstation Network has cards. Apple has iTunes cards,and Valve has allowed for use with PayPal recently. Other than iPod apps you don't need a credit card for those purchases.

 

[D Moness]

so just ban all accounts that got 160 points with a code.

As great an idea as that is, just a few days ago on Twitter a legitimate game company was giving out 160MSP codes.

It's possible to get them legitimately from Microsoft, but they're not sold in shops.

Ok I didn't know that. Well cross reference it with the date of the website going online. That should at least protect the people that have gotten it legally. Else compare it with the date from that game company to see who got it legally

 

[redisforever]

Microsoft points are a pretty dumb way of dealing with purchases, I mean they could charge you directly meaning you get what you pay for but the Microsoft point system you are forced to buy a set amount and always get 40 or so points left over that you can't spend.

The Playstations, Apples and Valves methods are just better IMO where I can just use straight forward system of paying for things.

I don't have a card I can use online.

Playstations, Apples and Valves methods are now completely unusable to me.

In comes MSP, something I can pay for in store.

Umm, Playstation Network has cards. Apple has iTunes cards,and Valve has allowed for use with PayPal recently. Other than iPod apps you don't need a credit card for those purchases.

Exactly, and you can easily get a prepaid credit card at many stores.

 

[archvile93]

You guys are right. Because they have a lot of money, and because you personally think that they charge too much for downloadable content, they deserve to lose large amounts of money. A totally fair and not at all immature stance to take.

You forget it's cool to hate Microsoft - get with the times, everyone's doing it!

OT: This is kindof like that story of the kid who spent £800 or something on Live. The idiocy is there but I imagine the people using this exloit don't have age as an excuse.

Well they'd probably be hated less if they didn't constantly try to milk their consumer base, lie more than they breathe, and didn't screw over PC consumers every chance they get, then they probably would be hated much less. Still exploiting this bug is almost certainly illegal, so I won't feel bad when the people who used it get their accounts banned, or are possibly arrested, either.

 

[the_pleasure_is_mine]

Umm, Playstation Network has cards. Apple has iTunes cards,and Valve has allowed for use with PayPal recently. Other than iPod apps you don't need a credit card for those purchases.

He wasn't mentioning any of those things.

Plus no card online also means no PayPal.

In fact I avoid PayPal anyway at almost all costs... the only exception is Minecraft.

 

[Levi93]

Umm, Playstation Network has cards. Apple has iTunes cards,and Valve has allowed for use with PayPal recently. Other than iPod apps you don't need a credit card for those purchases.

He wasn't mentioning any of those things.

Plus no card online also means no PayPal.

In fact I avoid PayPal anyway at almost all costs... the only exception is Minecraft.

just out of interest, why don't you have a card you can use online? Your account says your about 16 days younger than me and I've had a card for about 2-3 years, and why do you avoid paypal, I admit I don't use it that often but it's still easy and convenient to use, if it wasn't then there wouldn't be millions of people using it.

 

[Kingsnake661]

Microsoft's points system is morally corrupt, and therefor, they have no right to complain when others cheat them in an immoral way.

How so?

Ever wondered why they use points instead of currency or why you can't buy specific points, only set amount? Through points, they're screwing you over. Say you want to buy enough for a game that costs 800 points. When you're purchasing the points, you've got to pay an extra few bucks for those extra 200.

Because people are more inclined to spend "points" rather than money. It helps to hide the true value.

But the numbers are all there readily available so you can hardly accuse them of scamming anyone.

It's not a scam, but a system that is desigined to work in MS's favor. Imagian that, a company looking out for themselves. But, recently, i've noticed i have the option of just paying what an item costs on XBL, not having to use points anymore. So, this, IMO, is a moot point. For me anyways. I suppose if you still relay on MS points you by from a brick and mortor store, as in, you don't have a credit card, your still getting screwed. *shrug* That's life, i'm afraid. MS isn't the first, nor will they be teh last, to stack the deck in there favor.

 

[fenrizz]

I wouldn't touch that exploit with a 40 fot pole.
Microsoft logs everything you do on your account (especially MS points) and they will find you.

They can expect to be banned shortly.

EDIT: Never mind.

 

[Daverson]

Serves them right. If they'd used a real currency, rather than trying to make one up, this sort of thing wouldn't have happened.

 

[godofallu]

Microsoft's points system is morally corrupt, and therefor, they have no right to complain when others cheat them in an immoral way.

How so?

1 Microsoft uses MS points in order to lull the consumer into not realizing that they are spending money. By creating this "middleman" currency they are effectively separating the purchase (good part) from the spending (bad part).

2 MS Points create a feeling of need to use. Once you have the points you feel like you need to use them, or may as well use them since you already have them and don't want to waste them. I want this and I already have the points, let's buy!

3 MS Points are only available in set amounts. This allows them to force overspending by setting DLC and other purchases at levels just above the cutoff points. The consumer does the math (sometimes) and comes up with a purchase price. This purchase price seems reasonable so they set out to buy the item. They then must buy more points then they want in order to get the item effectivly raising the items price without the consumer correlating the increase in spending to the product.

4 The points are overpriced, or more specifically the DLC which is bought using the points is overpriced.

In closing I would like to say that MS Points exist for a reason, because studies have shown that people will generally spend more using MS points than with standard dollar transactions. It isn't illegal to take advantage of this fact, or abuse your monopoly. It is immoral however.

 

[the_pleasure_is_mine]

just out of interest, why don't you have a card you can use online? Your account says your about 16 days younger than me and I've had a card for about 2-3 years, and why do you avoid paypal, I admit I don't use it that often but it's still easy and convenient to use, if it wasn't then there wouldn't be millions of people using it.

My card probably does work online... but the amount of security on my account means I have never worked out how, and the few attempts I have made it through the security questions my bank has initially declined the transaction because of my age and they think it might be identity theft.

The Co-Op is a great bank and I love the fact my account is pretty much locked tight, but it makes buying things online a *****.

Also PayPal is the biggest scam since homeowner loans... so many things can go wrong and often do. I'm sure eBay is in leagues with them to try and scam as much money as possible out of the unsuspecting public...

 

[AzrealMaximillion]

Umm, Playstation Network has cards. Apple has iTunes cards,and Valve has allowed for use with PayPal recently. Other than iPod apps you don't need a credit card for those purchases.

He wasn't mentioning any of those things.

Plus no card online also means no PayPal.

In fact I avoid PayPal anyway at almost all costs... the only exception is Minecraft.

I realize he wasn't mentioning those things. I read the post. Those things are alternatives that work just as well as MS Points without the the need to have a credit card.

And yeah, you can link your bank account up to PayPal. No need for an online card then. You can take the money straight from you debit account. I know. I'm currently doing to for concert tickets. So you don't need an online card. There's also prepaid credit cards too. There are many alternatives to allow people to purchase things online without a credit card.

 

[the_pleasure_is_mine]

I realize he wasn't mentioning those things. I read the post. Those things are alternatives that work just as well as MS Points without the the need to have a credit card.

And yeah, you can link your bank account up to PayPal. No need for an online card then. You can take the money straight from you debit account. I know. I'm currently doing to for concert tickets. So you don't need an online card. There's also prepaid credit cards too. There are many alternatives to allow people to purchase things online without a credit card.

Well that sounds convenient... if I trusted myself not to blow everything I have and if PayPal wasn't about as trustworthy as a FIFA Executive Committee member I'd totally try that out myself.

Prepaid credit cards are no good as I'm 17. I can't touch anything with the word 'Credit' in it.

There may be a few alternatives, but there definitely aren't many.

 

[AzrealMaximillion]

I realize he wasn't mentioning those things. I read the post. Those things are alternatives that work just as well as MS Points without the the need to have a credit card.

And yeah, you can link your bank account up to PayPal. No need for an online card then. You can take the money straight from you debit account. I know. I'm currently doing to for concert tickets. So you don't need an online card. There's also prepaid credit cards too. There are many alternatives to allow people to purchase things online without a credit card.

Well that sounds convenient... if I trusted myself not to blow everything I have and if PayPal wasn't about as trustworthy as a FIFA Executive Committee member I'd totally try that out myself.

Prepaid credit cards are no good as I'm 17. I can't touch anything with the word 'Credit' in it.

There may be a few alternatives, but there definitely aren't many.

Umm, dude what the hell are you talking about with prepaid credit cards? I've been using those since 16. I'm 20 now... I can go to my local grocery store or super market and grab them right off the shelf. No questions about age. You're probably thinking of the pre-paid cards you get from the banks. Trust me there are prepaids you can just buy.

And PayPal is only bad if you use eBay. That's why I use Amazon.