Microsoft phasing out virtual currency system?
Microsoft is looking to end its proprietary Microsoft points currency system in favour of real-world money, aiming to complete the transition by the end of the year.
Microsoft is looking to end its proprietary Microsoft points currency system in favour of real-world money, according to a mobile apps review site.
InsideMobileApps.com is reporting that Microsoft points currency will be phased out over the next few months and will be completely gone by the end of 2012. In its place, the software and hardware giant will allegedly begin to use real-world currencies around the globe.
The report states the move won't just be restricted to Xbox Live Arcade, with both the Zune and Windows Phone Marketplaces also making the migration over to real-world dollars.
A Microsoft spokesperson would not comment on this information when contacted.
Since the inception of Xbox Live on the Xbox 360, Microsoft has relied on its custom Microsoft points currency system to be the primary choice for all its online transactions. However, the system hasn't been without its criticisms, with a lawsuit over Microsoft's unused digital currency surfacing just last year.
If true, the change could be designed to appease mobile users, putting the Windows Phone Marketplace on par with trading practices that both the Apple App Store and Android's Marketplace abide by. Currently, users of Microsoft's mobile platform can use both Microsoft points and real-world money to purchase music and videos but not applications.