News: Are you a lowly member of Project A or one of the elites of Project X?
Microsoft has begun sending out emails inviting gamers into the Xbox Live Rewards pilot program. The program will run for the next six months and will be run by a group known as the Xbox Live Rewards Squad. From the sound of the email, the program will work very similarly to the rewards programs available through many credit cards.
In the introductory email, Microsoft is giving 100 free Microsoft Points to those who made it into the pilot program. The program itself appears to be broken into three tiers, Project A, Project Y and Project X, each offering different rewards and each with its own section of Xbox.com.
Project A (AKA Project "gray") is the lowest tier and will offer the following rewards to users...
Continue to stay on [Xbox Live] Gold and purchase on Xbox Live Marketplace: Up to 5% rewards on Marketplace purchases (Gold members only)
Participate in program surveys: 100 Microsoft Points per survey
Project Y (AKA Project "green") is the middle tier and will offer the following rewards to users...
Renew to 1 Month Gold Subscription: 10 Microsoft Points per renewal (Gold members only)
Renew to 3 Month Gold Subscription: 30 Microsoft Points per renewal (Gold members only)
Renew to a 12 Month Gold Subscription: 200 Microsoft Points (Gold members only)
Subscribe to Netflix: 200 Microsoft Points (Gold members only)
Make your first purchase on Xbox Live Marketplace: 100 Microsoft Points
Participate in program surveys: 100 Microsoft Points per survey
Finally, Project X (AKA Project "orange") is the highest tier and will offer the following rewards to users...
Renew to 1 Month Gold Subscription: 10 Microsoft Points per renewal (Gold members only)
Renew to 3 Month Gold Subscription: 30 Microsoft Points per renewal (Gold members only)
Renew to a 12 Month Gold Subscription: 200 Microsoft Points (Gold members only)
Subscribe to Netflix: 200 Microsoft Points (Gold members only)
Make your first purchase on Xbox Live Marketplace: 100 Microsoft Points
Continue to stay on [Xbox Live] Gold and purchase on Xbox Live Marketplace: Up to 5% rewards on Marketplace purchases (Gold members only)
Participate in program surveys: 100 Microsoft Points per survey
There doesn't appear to be any way to change which tier you belong to. At least not yet. There will also be restrictions on how you can use the Microsoft Points earned in the program.
According to the Rewards Squad page on Xbox.com, "you can start spending the points you've accumulated after the first three months." So that cool points you've already received can't be put towards anything just yet. Also, points earned may be limited in how they can be spent, but the wording on the page, "every month, The Rewards Squad will send you an email with an update on the points you've earned and the cool stuff you can get", is ambiguous at best.
We'll have more soon.
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