Xbox 360 Gamerscores Actually Worth Something

And you thought they were just for bragging rights among your loser friends. Not so! According to press reports, Microsoft has decided to reward loyal Xbox 360 players with SWAG.

The program works like this: the more you play each year, the bigger the potential payout.

Users are broken down into three categories:

• Level 1 (0 – 4,999 annual Gamerscore): You are developing your skills and gaining experience. Take some time to get used to the program and learn your way around. The Challenges will typically be easier and the rewards smaller.

• Level 2 (5,000 – 9,999 annual Gamerscore): We are going to turn up the heat a bit. You have proved that you know how to play and are willing to put in the gaming time to reap the benefits. The Challenges will get a bit more difficult. Never fear, the reward value goes up as well.

• Level 3 (over 10,000 annual Gamerscore): This is an arena filled with the who's who of gaming. We don't want to claim that Level 3 is an exclusive club, but if you find yourself winning Challenges here, you've obviously pulled out the big guns, so enjoy while it lasts.

Initially, the competition will center around some sort of marketing agreement with (inexplicably) Old Spice, which an ex-girlfriend once described as the "most dadly" of colognes. As part of that agreement between O.S. and Microsoft, next week will see the beginning of the Old Spice Experience Challenge. Hurrah! But only in the U.S. Boo!

During the Challenge, which lasts until mid-April, users will be rewarded for increasing their Gamerscores by at least 1,500 points.

What kinds of awesome swag can we win?

• Level 1 The popular [still, twenty years later? -Ed.] Xbox Live Arcade game Contra (rated: E10+) from Konami (Retail Value $5.00)
  
  Exclusive Old Spice Level 1 Xbox Rewards gamer picture
  
  An experience upgrade to Xbox Rewards Level 2
  
  
• Level 2 The popular Xbox Live Arcade game Contra (rated: E10+) from Konami
  
  Exclusive Old Spice Level 2 Xbox Rewards gamer picture
  
  100 Microsoft Points
  
  An experience upgrade to Xbox Rewards Level 3
  
  
• Level 3 The popular Xbox Live Arcade game Contra (rated: E10+) from Konami
  
  Exclusive Old Spice Level 3 Xbox Rewards gamer picture
  
  200 Microsoft Points
  
  Old Spice T-Shirt (Estimated Retail Value $10.00)
  
  A copy of Fuzion Frenzy 2 game (rated: E10+) (Estimated Retail Value $50.00)

I don't know about you, but I'm jonesing for one of them Exclusive Old Spice Xbox Rewards gamer pictures. As luck would have it, most of these prizes are first-come, first-serve, to boot.



At any rate, more contests (and swag giveaways) will be held in the future, Microsoft promises.

Xbox Rewards is not just about playing online and racking up your Gamerscore—you don't even have to be an Xbox Live member to participate and score some great rewards. As the community responds, the program will grow and new challenges will be announced. Some will be open only to certain Rewards levels, some may be specific to certain games, and others won't even require you to turn on your Xbox 360.

I guess this means I should hold off on playing any Crackdown till the contest starts, eh?


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