Xbox Launching Its First Ever Credit Card

Microsoft is introducing the Xbox Mastercard, calling it "a new way to earn more value for gaming."

By Ricky Frech

Microsoft is constantly looking for ways to expand its business, which is one of the ways the tech corporation has stayed at the head of the pack in computing, gaming, and several other industries. It's not always been great (looking at you Zune), but more often than not, it has found a way to to eventually turn its ventures into successes. The latest venture is something brand new for the Xbox brand. Very soon, anyone who is a member of the Xbox Insider Program will have the opportunity to get themselves an Xbox Mastercard.

This latest partnership from Xbox is being done in tandem with Barclays US Consumer Bank. Starting on September 1, anyone who is signed up for the Xbox Insider Program can apply to get the no annual fee Xbox Mastercard. The card will be made available in waves throughout the fall, so if you're interested, it's probably smart to sign up as soon as you're able to make sure you're in one of the initial waves. It should be noted that the card is only available in the 50 United States, so overseas players should temper expectations. With this being an Xbox-branded card, users can expect several benefits for their favorite console when using the card.

What Are the Benefits of the Xbox Mastercard?

As you'd expect, many of the benefits of this particular credit card will directly benefit Xbox users. The Xbox Mastercard lets users earn points back for every dollar they spend on purchases. Here is the breakdown of how you can earn those points from the official Xbox site:

  • Xbox & Microsoft – Earn 5x card points on eligible products at the Microsoft Store.  
  • Streaming Services – Earn 3x card points on eligible streaming services like Netflix® and Disney+®. 
  • Dining Delivery Services – Earn 3x card points on eligible dining delivery services like Grubhub® and DoorDash®. 
  • Everyday purchases – Earn 1x card points on all other everyday purchases. 

Beyond that, users will get several other benefits to sweeten the deal even further. This includes a card point bonus when you first get the card and three months of Game Pass for new users. Unfortunately, if you already have Game Pass, you can't use it yourself, but it'd make a nice gift. Here are all of the other rewards from the official site:

  • A bonus of 5,000 card points (a $50 value) after their first purchase. 
  • Three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for new Game Pass members after their first purchase. If they're already a Game Pass member, they can easily gift it to a friend to play together. 
  • Choice of one of five iconic designs for their card, with the option of personalizing it with their gamertag. 
  • Flexibility of use with contactless payments and digital wallets. 
  • Free online access to cardmembers' FICO Credit Score, which allows users to keep an eye on their credit score and receive alerts when their score has changed. 
  • $0 Fraud Liability protection, so cardmembers are not responsible for charges they didn't authorize. 

Remember, you'll have to be a member of the Xbox Insider Program, which you can do by visiting the program's official site and signing up. The Xbox Mastercard signups go live on September 21, giving you ten days to decide if it's for you.

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