Xbox is today announcing some major changes to the Microsoft Rewards program, which includes plans to begin rolling out a "simplified Rewards experience" while also "recalibrating" how users earn Microsoft Rewards points in the future.
The first big change is that the old Microsoft Rewards app on Xbox consoles will be retired very soon, and the Weekly Sets and Weekly Streaks will be discontinued on April 15th. In their place will be a "new Weekly Bonus" in the Xbox Rewards Hub that will award users for playing a game of their choice on multiple occasions per-week.
Here are some of the other activities that will continue to earn Microsoft Rewards points on Xbox:
- Playing games on Xbox and on PC with the Xbox app for PC. This includes gaming activities available to all members and Xbox Game Pass Quests available to Game Pass members.
- Buying games and other eligible items from the Microsoft Store.
- Searching on Bing.com. Sign in to Bing with your Microsoft account and earn 5 points for every search. Limits apply.
- Taking advantage of special offers on new releases.
- Visiting the Microsoft Rewards web dashboard on Rewards.microsoft.com and completing the Daily Set.
- Players will also be able to earn Rewards for daily achievements, playing on PC, and completing Xbox Game Pass Quests.
Microsoft admits that some Xbox players "may not receive as many Rewards points initially" following this new rollout, but adjustments will be made over time and the team will "experiment often" with new activities to earn points.
We'll throw more information about this down below, courtesy of details provided to Pure Xbox by Microsoft:
"We know that previously Xbox Rewards was split across three separate experiences. The new Rewards Hub will be more streamlined for players, combining the separate rewards experiences into one convenient location. The new Rewards Hub brings together access to all offers and Xbox-related activities and will be the destination on Xbox to set goals, earn and redeem points.
With this update, we are recalibrating our Rewards points system and updating the kinds of activities players can participate in to earn rewards, so that more players will enjoy and benefit from the program. We’re always looking at how we can make gaming experiences better for players. That’s why over the coming months, you’ll see us deploying many experiments within the Rewards program to test different ways to continue improving it, including things like new ways to earn and redeem Rewards and improved player experiences."