Microsoft Points are the worst. You’re already trying to spend money — why do you need to send your cash to a halfway house of misleading round numbers and uneven transactions? You shouldn’t. And, thankfully, it seems that Microsoft finally agrees and is doing away with Microsoft Points.
According to The Verge, Microsoft Points are no longer the default payment method for digital content in Windows 8. Previously, as on the Xbox 360, the points had been the only way to purchase movies or music. Now you can just use money. Money is much better than Microsoft Points. Because the primary function of Microsoft Points was to confuse people — kids, mainly — about how much money they were actually spending on virtual goods. You had to make the 80 Microsoft Points-to-one-dollar conversion, and then transfer the appropriate amount of cash. And if you could only buy in increments higher than what you actually wanted to buy? Tough. Just spend those points next time around.
Depending on how generous you’re feeling, the points were an inconvenience, a trick or a trap.
You know who else does that? Strip clubs and amusement parks. Neither of which are especially dignified company to be keeping. So this change is hugely welcome.
And while we don’t know whether this change will apply to Xbox, THIS CHANGE HAD BETTER APPLY TO XBOX. Xbox is where Microsoft Points purchases can get the muddiest: “Oh, this Master-Chief-in-chaps skin is 200 points? And it comes in 10 variations? That converts to… oh screw it. I’ll take them all.” That’s what every points transaction comes off like. And that’s a shame because we like buying crap on the Xbox. It’s a great hub. Hopefully this is Microsoft realising that we’d rather do it willingly than be strong-armed into it. [The Verge]