Microsoft Points are like hot dogs

[The_Echo]

Buying points from xbox live - you can never get the right amount of points for anything - much DLC is 800 points, some games are 1200 and picture packs etc are 200.

A related question: Why do you have to pay for picture packs at all? I've never understood this. Microsoft is basically charging you for a tiny thumbnail image that advertises Xbox games. I know Microsoft is a corporation, it needs to make money, blah blah blah. But at a certain point, this kind of nickel and diming is going to do more harm than its worth.

Microsoft is a money-sucking corporation whose main intent is to take your wallet, use it for what it's worth, and give you the remains. A lot of the problems with the hardware even seem to be intentional, to get some customers after their warranty is up. Like the disc reader. Scratching discs when moving the damn thing? How many systems with a disc reader do that? Hmph. I also heard that the RRoD were put there on purpose, but I don't know if I should believe that.

PS: Like always, I have to point out that the 360 is the only system that makes you pay for online, and for no good reason, either.

 

[Nokillme92]

Here's a thought: Don't waste your points. hurr durr Just because you HAVE them, doesn't mean you have to spend them. I'm not taking up for Microsoft. It's a shitty system, but you're letting yourself be exploited by putting points on picture packs. : / Save them, eventually they'll accumulate and you'll be able to buy something worth buying.

Thank you! At last some common sense.

 

[keptsimple]

Microsoft is a money-sucking corporation whose main intent is to take your wallet, use it for what it's worth, and give you the remains. A lot of the problems with the hardware even seem to be intentional, to get some customers after their warranty is up. Like the disc reader. Scratching discs when moving the damn thing? How many systems with a disc reader do that? Hmph. I also heard that the RRoD were put there on purpose, but I don't know if I should believe that.

PS: Like always, I have to point out that the 360 is the only system that makes you pay for online, and for no good reason, either.

But every corporation is going to try to get as much money out of you as possible. But I can't imagine that the profit they get from picture packs is really worth it compared to the goodwill they lose for charging you for something as minor as a thumbnail image.

I sincerely doubt that any hardware issues are intentional. RROD has cost Microsoft a ton of money. It was more of a miscalculation - they tried to make the 360 a little too cheap.

As for paying for Xbox Live, I don't really mind it. It's still the gold standard for online console gaming. PSN has made some considerable strides in the short time it has existed, but I'd still rather pay a small monthly fee for the reliability of Live. As for Nintendo's network... ugh, the less said, the better.

 

[Pseudonym2]

I find it annoying because I end up buying less games not more. I have 300 points right now which means I can't get any 1200 point games. So I guess Microsoft doesn't get more of my money.

 

[Da_Schwartz]

Agreed, the whole thing is silly. Microsoft needs to develop a system that uses whatever regional currency u use. I understand they use "points" to sorta bridge the gap between different global currency but come on. PSN figured it out. Why can't XBL? But on the downside i'm assuming this is why some DLC on PSN is exclusive to say japan for example, and is well delayed by the time we get it here in the states. Hopefully Microsoft can get this going.

Ironic though how i used to play video games for points.
Now i need points to play video games.

o.o i just blew my mind.

 

[Irridium]

Well, I usually buy the 800 points packs in a store.
Problem solved.

I've only ever seen 1700 or 2100 points packs.

You also pay more in a store on a per point basis, but yeah that doesnt make them like hotdogs.

I'd still prefer to straight up buy them.

I've only seen 1600 and 4000 cards


And I think that they aren't all bad, after all, I don't need a credit card.

 

[teisjm]

Yeah, it's because Microsoft is only second to Disney in being malicious, greedy bastards. Microsoft WISHES they were more evil than Disney though, imagine if they were!

I'm thinking LEGO HALO, I wonder how many fanboys (not regular fans, the loud stupid kind) that would piss off.

 

[Ben Legend]

I wish they would just let you add points one at a time if need be.

Would make it easier. I hate having to buy 800 MS Points, just for a 120 MS Point song on Rock Band.

 

[StormShaun]

The points are the only thing I hate about XBL also Dont they make enough money from:
The console
Other things (camera, chatpad,etc)
Games
Membership cost......

Like come on dosnt Bill Gates/or whoever runs the xbox comp get enough moneys.....

 

[mikekearn]

Store them up, they don't expire. I always have bits left over, I just ignore them until I've burnt through enough points purchases that I have enough for some DLC or something. It's like money: when you spend $17 on lunch you get $3 change, do you spend it? No, just throw it in your pocket. Eventually you'll have enough to buy lunch with your change.

Or you can huck it at cars.

You can't do that with Microsoft points.

Minor detail: if you win any Microsoft Points in any of the contests that are thrown around all the time, then your points can expire. It's in the fine print, and it can suck if you don't know about it, because there isn't any sort of warning. They will just disappear from your account.

On the positive side, any points that you buy will never expire, and anything you buy with points will always use the ones with expiration dates first, and save the ones that won't expire for last.

 

[philzibit]

I have 10 points, what can i do with 10 points?

 

[Flankhard]

Sorry to bring up a dead and burried post, but because I'm running a PS3 and PC, this hasn't been a problem for me... until now.

In order to get the Overlord and Kazumi DLC's for ME2, I had to buy BioWare points. I had hoped these DLC's would appear on Steam for a fixed price, but no luck there.
BioWare points can only be used, so far, for ME2 and Dragon Age: Origins. Since I have no interest in DA:O that means ME2 only.
They are sold in increments of 400, starting on 400 up to 1600. Obviously with the limits in DLC's and theyr stupid pricing your left with a fair bit of points left over no matter how you try to add these DLC's.

Now I'm usually a calm and level-headed guy... but... THIS IS A GOD DAMN SCAM!!!

First offence: They conseal the real money value by making it hard for consumers to make out how much, in REAL money, they actually have to pay. A blatently obvious attempt to misslead.

Second offence: They make it impossible to ever spend all your points and thus getting the full value for them. So each time you want to get something, you have to buy more points then you need. On X-Box, I guess you can "save" leftovers for something bigger. But don't fool yourselfs. MS is not a bank and does not give you any interest on your points as a bank would if you kept you money there.

If I opened up a shop and implemented this system, I'd have consumer rights authorities up my arse within the week. I'd be hung out to dry in newspapers and on national television and people would say: "OMG look at that twat. Damn scammer. You see that kids? Thats a real nasty twat right there. Now don't you grow up to be twats like him, you hear?!"

So where is the law on this!!!

 

[Nouw]

Guess thats why you spend them on avatar clothes? [sub]At least I do. Gotta love the cool Army Of One Mask...[/sub]

I currently have 360 points. 40 more and I'd be killing demons and zombies in Doom. I agree, its over priced. Arcade Multiplayer Games usually have ZERO rooms.

 

[The Austin]

Word is that they are getting rid of the 'points' system all together.
The Escapist had a news article on it recently, though I can't be bothered to find it right now.
I'm lazy...and at work.

Oh, thank god.

 

[EightGaugeHippo]

I noticed this aswell. Its to manipulate the buyer into spending more on the Microsoft Points.

(this next part is from memory so figures may be slightly out)
Also some things are 520, and the two closest amounts of MSPoints are 500 or 1000.

 

[wrecker77]

what are you forust gump?

Failed, due to shoddy spelling and grammar.

jesus lighten up

No. After all, I, being Jesus as you have so correctly stated, have a lot of work to do, the least dissuading people from spelling with the same efficacy as a three-year-old.

What crawled up your ass? I was just posting. I wasnt writing an english essay. I dont need somebody nitpicking at my grammer.

i wouldn't bother replying if i were you, on here you come across a smartass elitist twat like him now and then, you just have to ignore them and hope they retreat back up their own asses.

This thred is almost a year old... forgive and forget.