Mastercard and Microsoft introduce a joint Xbox credit card for gamers

Microsoft, with the support of Barclays Bank and payment giant Mastercard, has introduced the Xbox Mastercard credit card. Starting from September 21, it will be available for purchase by Xbox Insider program members for Xbox and PC, and from 2024 — for all US residents. The card will not be issued in other countries for the time being.

The Xbox Mastercard will be free of charge. For every dollar spent with the card, its holder will receive points, which can be spent on the purchase of new games and add-ons through Xbox.com. In fact, Microsoft offers cashback with games.

The Xbox blog states that using the Xbox Mastercard to make purchases in the Microsoft Store will earn five times as many points, and paying with the card for streaming services such as Netflix and Disney, as well as food delivery services, will earn three times as many points. Ordinary daily purchases will earn the standard amount of points.

Xbox Mastercard holders will receive a bonus of 5,000 points (equivalent to $ 50) for any first credit card purchase. New Game Pass users will be provided with a three-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate with the ability to transfer the subscription to another person when applying for the card.

When applying for an Xbox Mastercard, the cardholder will be able to choose from five available designs with the option to add their own game tag to the card. The cards have digital fraud protection. Cardholders will also have permanent access to the FICO credit score.

As a reminder, Microsoft has announced the launch of a new system for punishing unscrupulous players in the Xbox ecosystem. In total, there are eight degrees of violations, each of which brings the user closer to blocking the account for a year. The severity of the violation determines the number of penalty points and the duration of the punishment: for inciting hatred, a player will receive three fines at once, and for using foul language — only one.