Microsoft has taken a hatchet to its Rewards program, removing one of its most desirable items: fans can no longer redeem points for free Xbox Game Pass subscriptions.
The Microsoft Rewards program gives people points for doing actions using Microsoft apps or programs. A more accurate description of it is a way of encouraging people to use Bing, as many of the Rewards involve completing tasks within that search engine.
In the past, one of the best uses for Microsoft Rewards was redeeming Xbox Game Pass subscriptions, usually for a month at a time. That’s stopping, as confirmed by Wario64 on BlueSky, with Microsoft ending the ability to redeem points for Game Pass subs starting October 1, 2025.
Microsoft Rewards – Starting October 1st, users will no longer be able to directly redeem Reward points for Xbox Game Pass subscriptions. Users will need to redeem points for Xbox gift cards to cover cost of Game Pass sub This increases points redemption by at least 6K points for 1 month of GP Ult. —
What Are The Alternatives For Using MS Points For Game Pass?
There is another way to use Microsoft Reward points for Game Pass, but it’s a much bigger pain. The alternative is to claim Xbox Gift Cards and redeem them for Game Pass subs. However, this takes far longer, as the Xbox Gift Cards cost thousands more points to earn.
Naturally, Microsoft fans are unhappy with the development, as Game Pass subs were a great use of the Reward points. Those who toiled away in the Bing mines just to be able to play Hollow Knight: Silksong for free will now have to click a lot harder to get their freebies.
The changes to the Microsoft Rewards program follow on from a lot of bad news for the company, such as the ridiculous cost of the ROG Xbox Ally X and a second price hike for the Xbox Series X/S in the space of a year. It feels like Microsoft is dumping all the bad news at once, and fans can only be left wondering when it will end?
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Author: 360 Technology Group
