Microsoft Points may be on their way out, even for in-app purchases

January 24, 2012 | By Surur

4000 On Windows Phone 7 we never really had to suffer Microsoft Points, but of course anyone buying music using the Zune desktop client would be all to familiar with the hassle, not to mention anyone playing an Xbox console game.

Microsoft Points are however set to return with a vengeance to Windows Phone 7, in the form of in-app purchases, which have become one of the primary methods developers monetize games and apps on other platforms. This brings with it of course the added complication of not knowing exactly how much it costs to buy that special power or chain mail etc.

Now a rumour by Inside Mobile Apps, quoting a "source with knowledge of the company’s decision", claims the whole Points system is set to be scrapped by the end of 2012, with Microsoft only taking the time to inform developers.

Overall it is great news for consumer transparency, and will hopefully mean the end of having to load up your account with $5 just to buy something for $0.99, not to mention having points left over you cant spend in the end. With the advent of operator billing the excuse of needing a credit card otherwise also goes away.

Does anyone love MS Points and will mourn their passing? Let us know below.

Via Pocketgamer.biz

About Surur

Site Admin and Windows Phone enthusiast, he has been using Windows Mobile devices since before they were called PocketPC’s. He is currently sporting a HTC 7 Trophy.

Tagged in-app purchasing, Microsoft Points, rumour, windows phone 7.5

Anonymous

Yes, yes and yes! Never been a fan of the points.
http://www.timsmithmma.com Tim Smith

Hate points.
Anonymous

But…but what am I going to do with all the points I have?

Christoffer Lundberg

I am sure they will have a plan for that
Anonymous

Probably going to fund WP development and advertising

http://twitter.com/fudtbear T-BEAR

By no means, am I an advocate of point but it is just a, maybe not quite simple, conversion. I don’t agree with the article stating we have to “load up your account with $5 just to buy something for $0.99″ because I will always be ready to use more points the next night or so renting a movie or buying some music on Zune Marketplace. Granted, things would be more simple just telling me an item is $5 and not 400 points. They cannot say that the conversion rate was not meant to make us not see the points as money. We will all be glad when the points give way for just the true dollar amount but don’t paint us as stupid in not being able to figure it out.

http://fxfp.com/ Alex F.

That’s you. A lot of people don’t use Zune services (for example because outside of US they suck) – so they wouldn’t want to buy $/£/€ 5 of points just for 0.99 in-app purchase.

http://twitter.com/J88NYr Jonny Rose

I think Points a great! because if you actually shop around you can get them really cheap, I was buying 2100 points for just £5, bought my self 8400. When a card says £5 credit on it, it is only ever going to cost £5. This is a bad thing in my opinion.
Anonymous

I just hope they convert remaining points into cash balance.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Milad-Bazzaz/100000479683479 Milad Bazzaz

As usual Apple is one step ahead…

where is the damn alternative to iTunes cards? seriously. People might just want to buy a voucher and be able to use it…easy to distribute, easy to implement yet nowhere to be seen.

Anonymous

Not sure what you mean here. MS Points cards are all over the place in here in Canada. I see them at a number of retailers, including a popular drug store chain.

http://www.codeview.net WP7 Apps (www.codeview.net)

There is already an app for conversion between real currencies to MS Points. -> MS Points Calculator http://www.windowsphone.com/en-Us/apps/4c97fb3d-fd06-e011-9264-00237de2db9e
Anonymous

I love Microsoft Points, I don’t want to use a Credit Card. There should be an option to choose payment with Points, or with a Credit Card.
http://www.facebook.com/marsupy Paul Renda

I’m still stuck with MS points, don’t know what to do with ‘em.. :-S

http://twitter.com/stephen_victor Stephen Victor

Buy a virtual dog from some lame game, overfeed it and watch it croak.

Anonymous

Get rid of them. That will make it heck a lot simpler and help attract more people because you don’t have some “weird currency”.
http://twitter.com/danrivhor Daniel Rivero Horie

Ohhh finally! No need for points, just use the damn money
Anonymous

i actually think this is a good form of currency for me, ’cause i don’t have a credit card (under age), so i could buy points with cash, no need for credit cards

http://twitter.com/EShy E-Shy

in the US, you can always get a prepaid card (online, or at pharmacies)

NarcoSleepy

The only people who hate points are people who can’t do math. I love points. I buy them at a discount, so it’s like paying 70 cents for a dollar. Personally, I hope that points don’t go away.

http://fxfp.com/ Alex F.

And people who don’t like unnecessary hassle!
The only reason points exist is to hide real prices – so instead of £0.99 you get 70 meaningless points (disclaimer: this is just an example, I have no clue about current rate).

http://twitter.com/J88NYr Jonny Rose

Ah, well done, so to avoid a little bit of hassel you would rather pay $1 to $1 instead of 70 cents to $1.

http://fxfp.com/ Alex F.

Dude, read my message again – in my example 70 points cost £0.99
So you are tricked into thinking that something costs less on a basis of a smaller number (just like you did after my message) when in reality it still costs £0.99
Anonymous

itunes gift cards get discounted too SO finding MS points cards on sale means nothing… i dislike points but i would be happier if they would switch to one or the other. right now it is split. points for zune desktop, money for phone, points for xbox, but oh wait money for more expensive items on xbox, money and points for games for windows… fail… hard, hard fail. money just makes more sense in this day and age. do we really want a system where each online store has its own currency and currency exchange rates. Amazon bucks, Microsoft points, Apple coins… where would it end?

Anonymous

Since I use Zune to rent movies and buy games on the 360, it’s a bonus when you come across discounted cards. At the same time, I can see how it may be annoying for those who don’t do gaming/rentals on their console.
Anonymous

I was just about to point out the discounts. I usually end up getting them at a ratio of 4000 for $40 which is a very good deal.

Avatar Roku

There are major retailers that sell 4000 points for even less than that (tax free).

Avatar Roku

Completely agree the only people who hate points are idiots. I get huge discounts on point cards and I never pay tax. Contrast that with Windows Phone purchases where there are no discounted point cards and you get taxed. Anyone who thinks the WP7 model is better is a moron who can’t do math.

http://www.facebook.com/chuckwhit Chuck Whitaker

The only problem i have with points is that you cant buy the exact amount of points of a purchase. This then causes you to have extra points that are useless until you buy something else. Which is the exact reason why Microsoft might have went this route. This is just a good business move by Microsoft just like Apple only giving iPhone 4S customers Siri and not regular iPhone 4 users it smfh

Avatar Roku

Well if you’re smart you’re buying point cards and getting huge discounts. I don’t mind building up points if it means I’m paying a lot less for items. If you wait until you need to buy something and don’t pay ahead like I do then you should be penalized. Right now I have $150 worth of points that I only paid $105 for. MS is earning interest on that money but I’m getting a $45 discount plus not having to pay any taxes.

http://www.facebook.com/chuckwhit Chuck Whitaker

Great points…..but i’ll pass i rather just pay with my american express and be done with it

aleclunsford

Such a great idea I mean I can’t tell you how many times I backed out of a purchase having to go through hoops to add points. The process of buying something should be 2 clicks not a 12 step process like it is on the Xbox.
http://twitter.com/EShy E-Shy

The point system has some advantages. A developer can decide the value in points and not worry about different currencies and what it means to the value of the in-app purchase, or any fees related to charging that money.

players can buy more points at once and get a discount, although you could do that with real money too)

the big disadvantage for me, and the reason I rarley use it on my xbox is that it obscures the value I’m asked to pay for stuff from me. I never really know what that in-game purchase is actually costing me.
That might be another advantage for developers, but for the customers it’s really bad.

the bottom line is, I want to know how much I’m paying for that new rocksmith song package and would prefer that to getting discounts

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1300735256 Andrew Bares

Developers don’t have to worry about different currencies the way it is now on Windows Phone marketplace (with real price values). It’s all automatically handled.

http://twitter.com/stephen_victor Stephen Victor

Thank godness. Points are such a convoluted mess. The masses interpret a simple pricing versus an ambiguous points system.
http://twitter.com/laserfloyd Lewis McCrary

Never liked them really. When wife asks “how does does it cost?” and I reply with “800 points”, she looks at me as if to say “dollars??”. Get rid of them and make things cost actual money. No need to hit the people that buy cards either. Simply make it a system where when you buy the card, it loads your account with currency rather than points.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Ben-Callister/100001839600217 Ben Callister

i hate the point system, despite the discounts. it was a dumb idea to invent their own currency because its not like the consume could ignore their real currency (e.g. dollars) – it always had to be translated. and yes, have to spend $5 to spend $1 was rediculous. discounts can be provided without currency translations. i think this is a smart move for MS.
Anonymous

News flash for everyone complaining about points. You do realize that if points go away, you will have to pay sales tax on your purchases.

Points are not currency, and so you do not need to pay taxes, and MS does not need to keep track of all the different tax rates around the world.
Anonymous

I get points for free cos of the Bing Rewards. Please dont take them away.