Microsoft to display actual currency prices next to virtual MS Points

Responding to complaints, Xbox group product manager Aaron Greenberg has said that the company does not want to mislead consumers with MS Points and will be looking to display actual currency prices next to the MS Points for all content.

"We never intended to mislead people," Greenberg said, via G4. "We want to be transparent about it, and so it is something that we're looking at."

"How can we be more transparent and let people see it in actual dollars? You've got to think that we have one service that we're offering around the world. The nice thing about Points is that no matter if you're on the JPY or the EUR or the USD � something that's 200 Points is 200 Points everywhere around the world. There's more technical complexities to being able to put local prices in. You have to do that for every product in every country and you then have to deal with currency fluctuations. So there's some challenges to that, but we absolutely did it with the Games On Demand, response has been good and absolutely it's something we're looking at doing," he concluded.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 21 Jan 2010 15:46

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10 comments

fgamer

I think it'll be a good thing, so people can know what they're actually spending. But it's not 100% necessary..but it's good they're willing to do it.

21.1.2010 16:35 #1

llongtheD

Maybe it would be better to just let you buy the exact number of points for an item? I guess that wouldn't fit their marketing strategy very well.

21.1.2010 20:26 #2

chris4160

Originally posted by llongtheD: Maybe it would be better to just let you buy the exact number of points for an item? I guess that wouldn't fit their marketing strategy very well.Ditto. I hate it how we to buy 2000 points if you are buying a 1600 MS point map pack. Even if the points were sold in 100 point increment's would be an improvement

21.1.2010 21:27 #3

NeoandGeo

Great additoin.

And why are we using a fake points system....

Oh yeah, so it's easier to stick it to the consumer with unfair pricing. Should have known.

21.1.2010 21:29 #4

xnmalletx

Originally posted by NeoandGeo: Great additoin.

And why are we using a fake points system....

Oh yeah, so it's easier to stick it to the consumer with unfair pricing. Should have known.Wow, duh. They use Microsoft points so that everyone that uses Xbox live can use the same currency all around the world instead of having to convert euros to dollars and pounds to euros, etc.

21.1.2010 22:16 #5

llongtheD

Quote:Originally posted by NeoandGeo: Great additoin.

And why are we using a fake points system....

Oh yeah, so it's easier to stick it to the consumer with unfair pricing. Should have known.Wow, duh. They use Microsoft points so that everyone that uses Xbox live can use the same currency all around the world instead of having to convert euros to dollars and pounds to euros, etc.Yes, but haven't you noticed that its structured so that you usually have to buy more points than an item/items actually cost? I guess leaving you with extra points every purchase makes the next item cheaper huh?

21.1.2010 22:28 #6

chris4160

Quote:Originally posted by NeoandGeo: Great additoin.

And why are we using a fake points system....

Oh yeah, so it's easier to stick it to the consumer with unfair pricing. Should have known.Wow, duh. They use Microsoft points so that everyone that uses Xbox live can use the same currency all around the world instead of having to convert euros to dollars and pounds to euros, etc.Putting the prices in local currency wouldn't be much harder than putting the price in ms points.

21.1.2010 22:32 #7

borhan9

Quote:"How can we be more transparent and let people see it in actual dollars? You've got to think that we have one service that we're offering around the world. The nice thing about Points is that no matter if you're on the JPY or the EUR or the USD � something that's 200 Points is 200 Points everywhere around the world. There's more technical complexities to being able to put local prices in. You have to do that for every product in every country and you then have to deal with currency fluctuations. So there's some challenges to that, but we absolutely did it with the Games On Demand, response has been good and absolutely it's something we're looking at doing," he concluded.I actually like this its like a universal currency and im totally for this concept can Sony actually also use this Microsoft idea.

I can't believe im going to say this but well done Microsoft in this department.

22.1.2010 04:49 #8

SProdigy

Quote:Quote:Originally posted by NeoandGeo: Great additoin.

And why are we using a fake points system....

Oh yeah, so it's easier to stick it to the consumer with unfair pricing. Should have known.Wow, duh. They use Microsoft points so that everyone that uses Xbox live can use the same currency all around the world instead of having to convert euros to dollars and pounds to euros, etc.Yes, but haven't you noticed that its structured so that you usually have to buy more points than an item/items actually cost? I guess leaving you with extra points every purchase makes the next item cheaper huh?Same principle behind casino chips. Different colors, but you lose the meaning of the value.

22.1.2010 09:43 #9

emugamer

Quote:Quote:"How can we be more transparent and let people see it in actual dollars? You've got to think that we have one service that we're offering around the world. The nice thing about Points is that no matter if you're on the JPY or the EUR or the USD � something that's 200 Points is 200 Points everywhere around the world. There's more technical complexities to being able to put local prices in. You have to do that for every product in every country and you then have to deal with currency fluctuations. So there's some challenges to that, but we absolutely did it with the Games On Demand, response has been good and absolutely it's something we're looking at doing," he concluded.I actually like this its like a universal currency and im totally for this concept can Sony actually also use this Microsoft idea.

I can't believe im going to say this but well done Microsoft in this department.Congrats to MS. It's a step in the right direction IMO. Like chris4160 said, "putting the prices in local currency wouldn't be much harder than putting the price in ms points." It may have been in good intentions, but point has the potential to confuse some. I see in US dollars. I don't want to do conversions for everything I buy. I'm older and am fully capable of basic math, but I do not want to have to when I sit down to numb my mind playing a game after a long day at work. I would eventually lose track of the money I was spending and the value I was getting from it. Which is why I hope Sony does not implement a point system for universal currency.

22.1.2010 12:04 #10

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