End Game

It's hard to imagine that the idea of offering free goodies to the fan base could ever be considered as not being a smart move, but the idea has more validity than some might think. Though it's got its high points, it's also got some unfortunate lows, and this adds up to a picture that might make some think twice about Microsoft's plan to hand over some free goodies.

Basically, the whole thing started when some users were reporting the arrival of a certain screen upon firing up the Xbox 360, saying that, once said user purchased an Xbox One or an Xbox One Bundle, either from a Microsoft Store or from certain local retailers, subject to the standard array of terms and conditions, said user would receive a pot of money in the form of a $75 promotional code from Xbox, good for a variety of games, add-ons, movies, or just about anything else.

That's pretty good by most any standards; a Kinect might go for about that much—except of course for the Windows compatible version which is reportedly around $200 at launch—or a game and a movie or two would fit into that price bracket nicely. But the problem here seems to be in the nature of who's getting these codes. The promotion seems to be not specifically offered to all users, and exactly who's getting in on this action seems to be somewhat varied, with some users from Canada reportedly getting in on the action, and not much of a pattern emerging just yet.