Tag: Microsoft Rewards

  • Microsoft Gives Away Free Xbox Gift Card Codes in Spring Sale 2025

    Microsoft Gives Away Free Xbox Gift Card Codes in Spring Sale 2025

    Key Takeaways

    1. The Xbox Spring Sale for 2025 offers discounts on over 1000 games until April 30th, with significant deals like Red Dead Redemption 2 at 80% off.

    2. Microsoft is giving away free gift card codes worth $5 or $10, but these are distributed randomly and may surprise inactive account holders.

    3. Players are encouraged to check their Xbox PC app or console messages for potential gift card promotions, as they might not be received by all users.

    4. The free gift card codes do not seem to reward customer loyalty, leading to dissatisfaction among regular players who feel overlooked.

    5. Earning points through the Microsoft Rewards system has become more difficult, especially after recent price hikes for Game Pass subscriptions.


    The Xbox Spring Sale for 2025 is currently happening, offering big discounts on more than 1000 games. However, this might not attract every gamer. To appeal to budget-conscious players, Microsoft is giving away free gift card codes valued at $5 or $10. Unfortunately, based on what users are saying on Reddit, these offers seem to come randomly. It’s a good idea for gamers to check their messages on the Xbox PC app or their console to see if they’ve received this promotion.

    Inactive Accounts Surprised

    Interestingly, even accounts that haven’t been active for a long time might get the Xbox gift card codes. Some gamers were taken aback to discover messages from Microsoft in accounts they hadn’t used in years. On the other hand, regular Xbox users who frequently buy and play games feel somewhat neglected in this situation.

    Sale Details and Discounts

    The current Xbox Spring Sale runs until April 30th, which means that the free codes could still appear. Microsoft has cut prices on games available for the Xbox console and Play Anywhere titles that can be played on PCs. Among the most attractive discounts is Red Dead Redemption 2, which is now 80% off at $14.99. Additionally, after fans expressed their discontent over the $49.99 Khaos Reigns expansion, fighting game lovers can get Mortal Kombat 1 with the DLC for just $29.69. The gift card codes from Microsoft can help lower these prices even further.

    Loyalty and Rewards Issues

    With the current Xbox sale, it seems that the free gift card codes are not based on customer loyalty. Instead, the Microsoft Rewards system lets players earn and use points on games or subscriptions. Sadly, it has become harder to earn these points. Many players felt let down when the automatic redemption for Game Pass became more expensive last April. These price hikes were a result of increased monthly subscription fees seen during the Summer of 2024.

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  • Xbox Game Pass Prices Increasing for Microsoft Rewards Users

    Xbox Game Pass Prices Increasing for Microsoft Rewards Users

    Key Takeaways

    1. Xbox Game Pass pricing will increase on April 20, impacting Microsoft Rewards members who use points for subscriptions.
    2. The points required for a monthly Game Pass subscription have risen, with some users now needing 20,000 points instead of the previous 14,000.
    3. The point requirement changes may vary based on the member’s level in the Microsoft Rewards system.
    4. Community backlash is evident on platforms like Reddit, with gamers expressing frustration over the increased difficulty in earning points.
    5. Despite the price hike, Microsoft continues to enhance Xbox Game Pass by adding popular titles and expanding Xbox Cloud Gaming access.


    Xbox Game Pass pricing saw a rise last July, and now it seems Microsoft Rewards members are feeling the impact. Players can earn reward points through various activities, like in-game tasks or buying items from the Microsoft Store. One way to use these points was to get Xbox Game Pass subscriptions. However, recent emails have informed some gamers that the auto-redemption for this service is about to become significantly pricier.

    Price Increase Notification

    For those who received the unfortunate email, a price hike will take effect on April 20. The message was directed at gamers who regularly use their points to automatically renew their Game Pass subscriptions. It’s still uncertain if these changes in the Microsoft Rewards program will affect players across all regions. Nonetheless, the new prices are already visible on the redemption sections within Xbox apps and on Microsoft’s official site.

    Changes to Point Requirements

    The number of points needed for a monthly Game Pass subscription varies based on whether a member is in Level 1 or Level 2 of the rewards system. For instance, two different point amounts are now being shown for the same subscription. Previously, the monthly auto-redemption for Game Pass Ultimate required 14,000 points, but there’s now an option that lists it at 20,000 points. It seems likely that by the time April 20 rolls around, gamers everywhere will need to use more points than before.

    Community Reaction

    Gamers on Reddit are not pleased with the new Xbox Game Pass pricing. Over time, collecting Microsoft Rewards points has become increasingly challenging. With this new points increase, keeping a Game Pass subscription may require using a credit card for most of the cost.

    In fair defense of Microsoft, the company continues to add big-name titles to the Xbox Game Pass lineup, including games like Avowed and F1 24. Furthermore, with Game Pass Ultimate, Xbox Cloud Gaming has broadened its range for PC, mobile devices, and smart televisions. However, the appeal of Microsoft Rewards is dwindling, even for the most loyal of players.

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  • Microsoft Announces $1 Million Prize to Boost Bing Search Engine

    Microsoft Announces $1 Million Prize to Boost Bing Search Engine

    Microsoft is launching an exciting new sweepstake to attract users to its Bing search engine, offering a staggering $1 million in grand prizes. This initiative began on October 8 and targets participants from six regions: the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, and Puerto Rico.

    Enhancing User Engagement

    This new campaign expands on Microsoft’s current Rewards loyalty program, which rewards users with points for engaging with various Microsoft services and products. Upon registering on the sweepstakes website, participants receive five entries immediately and can accumulate up to 200 entries through increased interactions with the platform.

    Additional Prizes and Donations

    Besides the grand prize, Microsoft is also providing two runner-up awards of $10,000 each. In addition, they plan to donate as much as $500,000, shared between the World Wildlife Fund and UNICEF. For every participant who collects over 50 entries, Microsoft will contribute $5 to these charities.

    Competing with Google

    This sweepstake serves as Microsoft’s strategy to enhance Bing’s presence, especially now that OpenAI’s GPT-4 technology powers it, creating a more interactive and chat-like search experience. Despite these advancements, Bing still needs to significantly improve to compete with Google’s dominance in the search engine market.

    Individuals already enrolled in Microsoft Rewards can gain more entries by performing daily searches on Bing or using the Microsoft Edge browser. Typically, the Rewards program offers smaller incentives like Xbox Game Pass subscriptions or store gift cards, making this million-dollar prize a notable upgrade to attract a larger audience.

    A Challenge Ahead

    This promotional sweepstake highlights Microsoft’s determination to rival Google’s supremacy in the search engine arena. Yet, despite the substantial cash incentive, Microsoft may face a tough challenge in persuading users to shift their long-held loyalty to Google.