Xbox Live Points On Pre-Sale

Microsoft is offering up Xbox Live Marketplace points for presale, according to Edge Online. Ala iTunes prepaid cards, the relatively cheap cards are to allow players to conduct microtransactions, purchasing game enhancing features like new texture elements or game levels. From the article: "Its worthy of note though that, according to the item's description, the points allegedly can also be used for both games purchases on the Xbox Live Arcade service and subscription fees for forthcoming MMORPGs. This may suggest a new unified and universal online currency for all Xbox 360 transactions, adding a layer of obfuscation as well as convenience to the potential buyer, who may be quicker to spend '800 points' than the equivalent £5 for that coveted new multiplayer map."

Comments

New textures

[StocDred]

purchasing game enhancing features like new texture elements

Hoo boy, am I looking forward to that.

Maybe Microsoft can sell me a game for $60, then nickel and dime me for another $30 so I can download newer textures. What a fanfuckingtastic business model. Oh yeah, they're in this "for the gamers."

Marketplace = multipurpose vacumn hose attachment.

[wift]

I admit, I'm a big fan of my xbox and xbl and will be buying a 360 but this Marketplace concept makes me nervous. I'm afraid of game publishers piece-mealing us to death with digital clothes, tattoos,weapons and car paint jobs. Selling someone a digital island for real money makes my skin crawl. I'll vote with my $ by not using the marketplace for the stupid crap and only use it for new maps/levels that I feel are above and beyond what would be considered a complete game.

The obvious analogy of Bungie's map pack will be used. I did pay for so I could play with my friends online. If you were patient it was free except for the extra material on the disk. That was the only acceptable way of handling it with maybe the possibility of making it free from day one.