Look, mum! I can earn money playing games
Microsoft Rewards is a scheme that rewards you with points for a number of Microsoft related things such as purchasing content and completing surveys. Xbox had its own separate reward scheme that worked in a similar way but the two schemes merged under the Microsoft umbrella at the tail-end of last year. However, it’s now been announced that Game Pass specific rewards are coming to Microsoft Rewards, meaning you can play games to earn money. Heck, you can even spend that money on a Game Pass sub, essentially making it free.
Reward Points are earned by doing a number of different things in specific games, namely collecting achievements. The excerpt from xbox.com reads:
For the first time ever, you can earn points playing any game from the Xbox Game Pass catalog. Complete up to seven exclusive Xbox Game Pass quests before February 3 and earn up to 2100 Microsoft Rewards points:
- Extraction Expert: Complete two specific extraction achievements in Tom Clancy’s The Division to get up to 200 points. You earn points with each achievement. Complete this before January 31.
- Metro Redux: Play Metro 2033 Redux and Metro: Last Light Redux to complete four specific achievements and get up to 200 points. You earn points with each achievement.
- Adventurer: Bring out your inner adventurer and get up to 200 points when you complete two specific achievements in Strange Brigade. You earn points with each achievement.
- Achievement Hunter: Get points with your first achievement and continue to complete up to 21 achievements in any combination of Xbox Game Pass games to get a maximum of 600 points.
- Genre Explorer: Get 300 points when you complete an achievement in three games from different genres.
- Play something new: Complete an achievement in a Xbox Game Pass title that was added in December to get 100 points.
- Quest Master: Complete all Xbox Game Pass quests to get an additional 500 points.
Check your Xbox One console for more details on each of the quests.
It’s a lot to cram into one month but even if you manage to complete a couple of challenges you’ll be banking that cash. It also gives you an excuse, should you need one, to try out games you may have otherwise ignored. All in all, it’s a pretty cool move from Xbox.
But… It’s only available for the US. It is, however, coming to other marketplaces soon so it’s not all bad.
