How To Get Free Video Games

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Amidst sitting for hours on your favorite spot on the couch, you finally stand up to stretch, rub your eyes, crack your knuckles, and walk towards the kitchen to grab another energy drink. After a few short minutes, you feel rejuvenated and are ready to jump back into the game. When you get back to the couch, you bend over to wipe the crumbs off your seat, grab the headset off the floor, and announce to your online crew that you are back and ready to dominate the competition. For the next five hours, your thumbs crank out everything from combination moves to pit maneuvers to sniping positions.

After a long day of serious competition, you unwind by watching your favorite show. It’s at this point that you discover during a commercial that the latest version of your favorite video game is coming out soon and is available for pre-order. Without hesitation, you jump on your laptop and go to your favorite online store to reserve the game. But right before you hit the final order button, you stop and wonder if you are getting the most out of your purchase. Are you getting the rewards you deserve for being a loyal gamer?

Using gaming rewards to score free video games

You can use gaming rewards to score free video games by racking up points from purchasing and playing more games from the following gaming rewards programs:

• Big Fish Game Club
• GameFly Rewards
• GameStop PowerUp Rewards
• My Best Buy
• My Nintendo
• Sony Rewards
• Microsoft Rewards

Chances are if you are reading this article you are either (A) a serious gamer who wants to see their gaming pay off more than just the satisfaction of finally destroying the boss in the final battle and seeing the credits roll, or (B) someone who just wants to know how the heck to get free games! You are in luck and keep reading because this article will show you how you can get free games by getting rewarded for your purchases AND review the best rewards programs for gamers at the end of the article.

What are gaming rewards programs?

The truth is that you probably have been missing out on something very valuable that has been hidden in plain sight for many years. In fact, each time you purchase a video game at a store or download online, at some point you are probably offered a chance to sign up for a rewards program. But in haste to get home and jump right into Level 1, you skip over the offer and decline, not realizing how valuable this program could be. And that’s where you made a big mistake. The good news is this article is going to help you find the treasure chest of possibilities that can help you get to the free games you seek on your journey.

The gaming rewards programs we mentioned above are offered by popular retailers (i.e. Gamestop, Gamefly, Walmart, etc.) and game console makers (i.e. Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, etc.) that can put you in the driver’s seating to earning free video games, exclusive new levels, sweet discounts, and much more. To simply put it, retailers and console makers offer gaming rewards programs to thank you for shopping with them. Rewards programs, in general, are not anything new or headline news, however, most people miss big when using them because they do not align their spending with a single program. Instead, most people end up chasing good deals or purchase convenience, which is why their gaming rewards potential to end up DOA.

How do gaming rewards programs work?

After reading the above, you may be thinking that gaming rewards programs are really simple. All you need to do is just sign up and buy games right? Well, yes you’re right to an extent. But there’s more to it. Like any good deal, the first thing you should always take into account are the benefits you are receiving and how you plan to convert those benefits pay off big for you in the long run.

A world of purchasing choices

An early obstacle that most gamers face when it comes to gaming rewards programs is that they aren’t loyal to one specific retail outlet, whether in-store or online. And that’s because the way we buy video games has changed dramatically over the years. You used to only buy games in retail stores, but with the internet came ordering games online and eventually direct game downloads. There are tons of options now available to you for purchasing games!

Regardless of whether if you like to purchase online via direct download, or take the old school route and go into an actual retail store, we all now live in a gaming world run by urgent pre-orders, game availability issues during a new launch, and Black Friday & Cyber Monday sales. Because of this, millions of gamers are missing out big time on rewards points and bonuses that are the key to unlocking free video games simply due to their purchasing behavior.

Gaming rewards programs work by incentivizing you to continue to purchase directly with a specific retail store outlet, whether it be online or in-store. In exchange for your customer loyalty, these reward programs can provide you with a bunch of exciting and valuable benefits which will vary depending on each outlet’s program. Make sure to keep reading because in this article, not only are we going to show you how to get free games, but in addition, we are going to review the best gaming rewards programs out there and provide you with a full review. Now that’s what we call a “level-up!”

Why should I go all in with one gaming rewards program?

If your primary goal is to score free video games, purchasing games from multiple outlets is not wise a decision. You might think finding the cheapest price is smart and might see some short-term benefits. But over the course of time, you may be losing a lot more than you are gaining. It’s because of this that we recommend sticking to one retailer and joining their gaming rewards programs. This will help you reap all the benefits of these programs and ultimately help you get free video games.

Think of gaming rewards programs like credit card rewards programs, the more you spend on one card the faster the rewards points can add up. Similarly, typically the best way to grow your gaming rewards points will be to double-down on a single program. Depending on how often you purchase games, purchasing from a single outlet may be more critical to how you get free video games.

The benefits of gaming rewards programs

To put it simply, gaming rewards programs can help you get free video games. If you are a gamer and purchase video games, either digital downloads or physical copies, joining a gaming rewards program is a no-brainer. You’re going to continue to buy video games, especially as the newest versions come out, so you may as well earn points for those purchases and turn your points into free video games. 

Each gaming rewards program has its own unique spin, benefits, and features to thank customers for their loyalty. We know it’s a lot of work to research and pick a gaming rewards programs, but don’t worry! We’ve outlined these thoroughly below so you can make a decision on which gaming rewards program might be best for you to join and which program can help you get free video games.

Should I upgrade my gaming rewards membership or just stick with the free version? 

While most gaming rewards programs are free or at least have a free version or level, you will come across some rewards programs that require an annual membership fee. So is it worth paying the membership fee or is it better to stick with the free version? You can find the answer by breaking down the math of gaming rewards points.

For example, in Gamestop PowerUp Rewards, we roughly value 1,000 rewards points to equal $1, or another way to view this is that 1 rewards point equals $0.001 cents. Let’s say over the course of a year you spend $1000 on purchases made at Gamestop. Let’s see the earning potential based on the membership tiers:

Pro Membership (14.99/yr)

• Earns 20 points for every dollar spent
• $1,000 x 20 = 20,000 points
• 20,000 points x $.001 = $20 in rewards points

Elite Pro Membership (29.99/yr)

• Earns 30 points for every dollar spent
• $1,000 x 30 = 30,000 points
• 30,000 points x $.001 = $30 in rewards points

Now the cash back in rewards in this specific example might not seem substantial but remember two things (A) with the paid memberships you really get the most value in the extra benefits and (B) these are free rewards points just for purchasing games from the same outlet! This is just one example of one how to determine the cash value of rewards points. 

Breaking down the best gaming rewards programs

When it comes to choosing a gaming rewards program, you have a few options. Below, we’ve reviewed the top gaming rewards programs to make your choice easier.

[wpsm_colortable color=”blue”]

Gaming Rewards Program	Affiliate	Annual Fee	Membership Tiers
Big Fish Game Club	Big Fish Games	Yes	None
GameFly Rewards	GameFly	Yes (included in GameFly subscription)	3
GameStop PowerUp Rewards	GameStop	No (bottom tier has no fee, but two top tiers do)	3
My Best Buy	Best Buy	No	3
My Nintendo	Nintendo	No	None
Sony Rewards	Sony PlayStation	No	None
Microsoft Rewards	Microsoft Xbox	No	2

[/wpsm_colortable]

Big Fish Game Club

Big Fish Games calls itself the #1 place to purchase casual games, which are games targeted for the casual gamer who plays every once in a while. They have a large variety of downloadable games available on PC, Mac, iPhones, Androids, and online. So if you find yourself frequently purchasing their games and consequently looking at the abnormally disproportionate sized sea creature that smiles at you with those gigantic lips, chances are you should look into joining the Big Fish Game Club.

The Big Fish Game Club is a rewards program that costs $6.99 per month. Members will save 30% or more on every Big Fish Game they purchase. Plus they enjoy benefits such as receiving Game Club credits that they can redeem for games, exclusive access to new games, and other perks.

Benefits of the Big Fish Game Club

While you can’t technically get free video games with the Big Fish Game Club, you can get great prices on certain games (for example, the Daily Deal game at $2.99). You also get a ton of other great benefits by joining the Big Fish Game Club. For a $6.99 membership fee per month, you’ll receive the following benefits:

• Monthly credits: each time you’re billed, you get a Game Club credit, which can be used to get free games. You can redeem one credit for any standard version game and two credits for any Collector’s Edition.
• Discounted games: save 30%-70% on every game you buy. You’ll get standard versions for $6.99 and Collector’s Edition for $13.99.
• Discounted in-game purchases: save up to 30% on in-game purchases (PC games only).
• Monthly Punch Card: fill up your Monthly Punch Card to get free games every month. One standard version game equals one punch and Collector’s Edition equal three punches. Collect six punches between the first and last day of the calendar month to get a Punch Card coupon code good for a free standard version game.
• Sneak Peek Beta Program: get invitations for the Beta Program, where you can preview, play, and provide feedback on new games before they are released.
• Tomorrow’s Game Today: play all of Big Fish’s new games a day before everyone else.
• Daily deal: get the Daily Deal game for just $2.99 USD.
• Free gift: remain a member for twelve consecutive months, and you’ll get a stuffed Felix the Fish, the Big Fish Games mascot.

How to join Big Fish Game Club

So if you decided that joining the Big Fish Game Club is for you, the process of signing-up is simple. Plus, they’re offering a special new member offer where you can try it out for one month for free. To sign-up, visit their website here and click the button that says ‘Try Now’. You’ll have to sign-in to your Big Fish Game account or create a new one if you don’t have it. Follow all the directions on-screen and check out to finalize your enrollment in the Big Fish Game Club.

GameFly Rewards

GameFly is a video game rental service. They offer over 9,000 video games for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Vita, PSP, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Wii U, Wii, GameCube, 3DS, DS, and Game Boy Advance. Their library contains both new releases and older games that can be difficult to find.

Those who are subscribers to GameFly are able to select the games they’d like to rent from GameFly’s website. GameFly will then ship the game(s) via old-fashioned mail. Once you are ready to return the game, you can ship it back with a pre-paid envelope. The beauty of GameFly is that you can keep the game as long as you want, as long as you are a paying subscriber.

GameFly subscription prices range from $15.95 per month for a single game or movie out at a time plan to $36.95 per month for a four-disc plan. They also have a two-disc plan for $22.95 a month and a three-disc plan for $29.95 a month. Subscribers also have the ability to buy the video games they rent through the “Keep” feature and can buy used games too.

Benefits of GameFly Rewards

You are automatically enrolled in GameFly Rewards when you become a paying subscriber of GameFly. This program rewards members for longevity in the program. The longer you’re a GameFly member, the more you’ll get out of the GameFly Rewards program. Through GameFly Rewards, you’ll get benefits for every three consecutive months that you rent with GameFly. They have three tiers of the rewards program they offer:

• At Level 1, you can earn 5 GameFly Dollars when you achieve three months as a member.
• Once you hit Level 2, you’ll earn 5 GameFly Dollars and 5% off used game purchases when you achieve six months as a member.
• Finally, at Level 3, you can get 5 GameFly Dollars and 10% off used game purchases when you achieve 12 months.

There are no more levels after Level 3. So once you’ve hit one year as a paying member, you won’t earn any additional benefits. Once you start earning GameFly Dollars, you can use them when you buy or purchase a game from GameFly. So if you save up enough GameFly Dollars, it’s totally possible for you to get free video games or at least money off of a video game. Be careful though! Your earned GameFly Dollars expire 90 days after they are issued.

How to join GameFly Rewards

Joining GameFly Rewards is easy because you are automatically enrolled in the program once you become a paying subscriber of GameFly. To sign up for GameFly, you’ll have to choose a plan on the GameFly website to determine how many games and movies you’ll be able to rent at any given time. They currently offer a 30-day free trial offer and discounted subscription pricing for the first three months.

GameStop PowerUp Rewards

GameStop is one of the largest retail gaming destinations where gamers can buy video games, systems, consoles, and accessories both in physical stores all around the country and online. For many, GameStop is the final destination for their paychecks, allowances, lunch money, and saved up cash from side hustles. With over 7,000 locations, it’s easy to see why GameStop has been so popular and why so many gamers spend both their time and money there. 

Luckily, with GameStop PowerUp Rewards, you can make some of the money you spend at GameStop back in the form of points. With this gaming rewards program, you’ll earn a certain amount of points for each dollar you spend at GameStop. You can then use those points to get in-store coupons, digital currency, sweepstakes entries, and more.

Benefits of GameStop PowerUp Rewards

GameStop PowerUp Rewards has three membership tiers in its program. Unlike other rewards programs where you can gradually earn status, with GameStop PowerUp Rewards, you simply can pay your way to a higher membership level. The various levels offer different values for earning points per each dollar spent and provide various benefits for members. Let’s go over the three levels:

[wpsm_colortable color=”blue”]

	Player	Pro	Elite Pro
Cost of membership	Free	$14.99 per year	$29.99 per year
Points for every dollar spent	10	20	30
Special birthday offer	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]
Buy 2, get 1 free pre-owner games welcome offer		[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]
% off of pre-owned games and accessories		10%	20%
% extra trade credit on games, accessories, and tech		10%	20%
12 issues of Game Informer Magazine		[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]
Exclusive Pro Day sales with over $4,000 in annual savings		[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]
Collectibles welcome offer			[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]
Free two day shipping (orders of $35+)			[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]

[/wpsm_colortable]

Also make sure to check out the Rewards Center, where you have more options to redeem your points on things like Xbox Currency and PlayStation credits and more.

How to join GameStop PowerUp Rewards

At the very least, joining the GameStop PowerUp Rewards program as a free member, or Player, makes sense so you can earn points for what you spend at GameStop. To join for GameStop PowerUp Rewards, you must physically go into a GameStop store location and sign-up for the program. We’re not 100% sure why they don’t have an online sign-up, but with 7,000+ locations, you should hopefully be able to find a location near you.

My Best Buy

With over 1,000 locations in North America and a huge online store, Best Buy is a major retailer of consumer electronics. It might not be the first thing you think of when it comes to gaming, but it should be a serious contender for your loyalty when it comes to gaming purchases. Best Buy has most of what you would ever need as a gamer, including new and pre-owned video games, consoles, accessories, and even a trade-in program. They have quite a large gaming section both in-store and online that simply should not be missed.

To reward loyal customers, Best Buy offers the My Best Buy program, which is free for anyone to join. With My Best Buy, you can earn points for each dollar you spend on anything at Best Buy stores or BestBuy.com. Although Best Buy no longer offers a dedicated rewards program for gamers, you can still turn those points received from the My Best Buy program into rewards certificates, which you can apply towards any purchase at Best Buy.

Benefits of My Best Buy

Similar to other rewards programs, My Best Buy has tiers of membership. The three levels in the program offer various points earning potential and benefits to members. You can achieve a higher level by spending more money at Best Buy. Here are the differences between the three membership tiers within the My Best Buy rewards program:

[wpsm_colortable color=”blue”]

	My Best Buy	Elite	Elite Plus
How to qualify	Automatically given upon sign-up	Spend $1500 at Best Buy per calendar year	Spend $3500 at Best Buy per calendar year
Points for every dollar spent	0.5 points	1 point	1.25 points
Free shipping	Free shipping on purchases $35+	Free shipping and scheduled delivery (no minimum)	Free 2-day shipping and scheduled delivery (no minimum)
Returns and exchanges	15 days	30 days	45 days
Access to special sales and offers	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]
Point banking option		[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]
24/7 customer service line	1-888-BEST BUY	Dedicated Elite line	Dedicated Elite Plus line

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Earning with Best Buy

Once you accumulate 250 My Best Buy points, you’ll earn a $5 reward certificate, which you can use on any Best Buy purchase, including any items related to gaming like games, consoles, and accessories. Most members will receive a rewards certificate automatically by email once they hit the 250 points mark. However, you can adjust you certificate preference level to be higher than 250 points or if you’re an Elite or Elite Plus member, you can ‘bank’ your points, meaning they’ll never expire until they are converted to a rewards certificate.

In addition to the benefits listed above, My Best Buy members also get the great perk of getting a $10 reward certificate for pre-ordering a video game with Best Buy. So if your favorite game is coming out with a new release on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U, or PC, it’s a great idea to pre-order via Best Buy so you can earn $10 back. 

From time to time, members will also receive special offers from Best Buy on various items in the store. There are usually some great gaming offers that may be of interest to you, so it’s definitely worth checking out the My Best Buy Member Offers page on your account.

How to join My Best Buy

Joining the My Best Buy program is easy and takes just a few minutes. The fastest way is to create your account online, but you can also join My Best Buy at any Best Buy store. As a free rewards program, we highly recommend taking the two minutes to sign-up so you can start earning points to help you score free games.

My Nintendo

Nintendo is a part of the ‘Big Three’ in gaming, along with Sony’s PlayStation and Microsoft’s Xbox. Based in Japan, Nintendo has produced some of the best game consoles over its long history, including the Nintendo Switch, Wii, and for you old-timers, the N64 and Game Boy. They’ve also created some of the most notable and top-selling video games and characters, such as Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and Pokémon. They’ve most recently gotten into the app world, creating a few really great gaming apps for mobile devices like the extremely popular Pokémon Go. It’s impossible to imagine gaming without Nintendo coming to mind.

Nintendo has an online store where you can purchase digital downloads of video games for Nintendo consoles. They don’t sell physical copies of the games, so to find those, you’d have to purchase them elsewhere. You also cannot buy any console or accessories directly from the Nintendo website, and they refer you to other retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, and more.

If you own a Nintendo console and purchase digital game downloads directly from Nintendo, it is wise to join their rewards program called My Nintendo. Through this gaming rewards program, you can earn points in all sorts of ways, such as using Nintendo apps on your phone, to purchasing games or even by signing into certain Nintendo services. You can then redeem those points for various rewards, including digital downloads. So if you’re interested in how to get free video games from Nintendo, pay attention and read more below.

Earning with My Nintendo

My Nintendo is a very simple rewards program. When you interact with Nintendo in one of the three following ways, you’ll earn points.

• Smart device apps: earn points for actions you take within some of Nintendo’s top smartphone apps,  Super Mario Run, Fire Emblem Heroes, and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. You’ll earn app points for this.
• Nintendo services: when you complete certain tasks with your Nintendo account, you’ll get additional points. Small things, like linking your social media to your Nintendo account and opting into receiving promotional emails from Nintendo, could score you extra points. You’ll earn platinum points for this.
• Purchasing games: when you purchase eligible games and downloadable content, you’ll get points based on the amount you pay. You can purchase digital software or download demos for Nintendo 3DS, Wii U, or Nintendo Switch from the official Nintendo website via your smart device or computer. You’ll earn gold points for this.

Redeeming rewards with My Nintendo

The type of points you earn within the My Nintendo program varies. This also means how you redeem the different types of points will also vary. You can redeem your points in the following ways:

• App Points: You’ll earn app points by completing various missions within one of three Nintendo smartphone apps. You can redeem these points for upgrades of enhancements in the same game you earned the points from. Here’s what you can redeem your app points for in Super Mario Run, Fire Emblem Heroes, and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp.
• Platinum Points: You’ll earn platinum points for completing certain tasks within your Nintendo account, called Nintendo services. With platinum points, you can redeem for digital media content like wallpapers and starter guides, and Nintendo 3DS and Wii U software, discounts, and digital content.
  
• Gold Points: You’ll earn gold points for purchasing eligible games and downloadable content from Nintendo directly. Digital purchases on Nintendo.com or the Nintendo eShop will give you 5% of what you spend back. Physical game purchases will be awarded at 1% of the Nintendo eShop price for the digital version of the game. You can then apply your earned gold points to Nintendo Switch purchases during checkout on Nintendo eShop or the official Nintendo website (1 Gold point = 1 cent off your purchase).
  • For example, if you pay $59.99 for a game on Nintendo eShop, you’ll earn 300 gold points, which equals $3.00 off your next Nintendo Switch game purchase. However, if you buy the physical copy of the game from Amazon, you’ll only earn 59 gold points, which equals .59 cents off.

Other than earning and redeeming points, Nintendo does not advertise any additional benefits to My Nintendo members.

How to join My Nintendo

My Nintendo is free to join, and all you need is a Nintendo Account to get started. You can sign-in or create a new My Nintendo account here. Make sure to link your Nintendo Network ID if you have one so you can earn gold points for all eligible Nintendo Switch, Wii U, and Nintendo 3DS digital purchases with your Nintendo Account. Once your account is set up and you’re signed in, you can review your My Nintendo points history, check out the latest My Nintendo rewards, and view active missions you can complete to earn My Nintendo points.

Sony Rewards

The second of the ‘Big Three’ of gaming is Sony, who owns and produces the world-renowned PlayStation game console. Unlike Nintendo, Sony is primarily known for its gaming hardware. The original PlayStation was introduced in 1994, and Sony is now on the fourth version of the console with the PlayStation 4 (PS4), its most popular console to-date. And with the PS4, you can not only play video games, but you can watch tv and movies, play music and more. 

To make it easy and fast for gamers to access and buy content, Sony has the PlayStation Store, where you can purchase digital downloads from a large library of games, movies, and TV shows. And it’s with the PlayStation Store that you can get rewarded through the Sony Rewards program. Sony Rewards is Sony’s universal program where gamers, music lovers, movie buffs and more can get rewarded for doing the things they love.

Earning with Sony Rewards

Like most other rewards programs, Sony Rewards is centered around earning and redeeming points. And luckily Sony Rewards offers members several different ways to earn points and rewards. As you’ll see, the beauty of Sony Rewards is that it is not limited to your gaming purchases and activity only. You can also get rewarded for other purchases, like music and movies, or getting a new PlayStation credit card, or even uploading movie tickets. Here’s the full list of how you can earn Sony Rewards points:  

• Purchasing games: link your Sony Rewards account to your Sony Entertainment Network account and you’ll earn every time you shop at the PlayStation Store.
• Register Blu-rays and DVDs: earn points when you enter the unique code on the insert of your select Sony DVD or Blu-ray discs.
• Upload movie tickets: get points by uploading movie tickets from select Sony films via the mobile app or website.
• Rewards Pass: every unique Rewards Pass you collect gets you a special reward.
• Watch out for promos: keep an eye out for coupons, special offers and events to rack up points even faster.
• Get a new Sony Card or PlayStation Card: Earn 5,000 bonus points after your first purchase and get points for every dollar you spend on your Sony or PlayStation credit card.

Redeeming rewards with Sony Rewards

Once you have saved up enough Sony Rewards points, you’ll be able to cash them in. And luckily for gamers, it’s very realistic and straightforward for members to get free video games through the Sony Rewards program. You can redeem your rewards on a ton of different gaming options, such as free video games, controllers, other accessories, and more. You can see the full catalog of gaming related items in the Sony Rewards store here.

In addition to the great gaming rewards you can use your points on, Sony also lets you redeem your points on movies, music, electronics, gift cards, and more through the Sony Rewards store.

How to join Sony Rewards

Sony Rewards is a free program, so if you’re an owner of a Sony PlayStation, joining the program should be a no-brainer. To start earning with Sony Rewards, you need to join the program by creating an account. After filling in a few simple pieces of information, you’ll be on your way in the quest to get free video games. 

Microsoft Rewards (Xbox Live Rewards)

Microsoft’s Xbox is the last of the ‘Big Three’ of gaming. They are the youngest of the three major gaming consoles, with the original Xbox console introduced in 2001. The newest version is called the Xbox One X, and it is the fourth major iteration of the popular gaming console from Microsoft. It’s built to be compatible with 4K TVs, which means you can game with 4K graphics, one of the highest resolutions currently available. The Xbox One X also has the functionality of playing 4K UHD Blu-ray discs, DVDs, and even CDs (for those who still have old-school discs for music).

Microsoft makes it easy for gamers to purchase games, consoles, accessories, and more on their online store. Since physical copies of games have quickly become a relic of the past, having access to quickly and easily purchase, download, and play your favorite games is important. With the online Microsoft Store, you can buy digital copies of video games, tv shows, and movies, which get automatically downloaded to your Xbox. So if you own an Xbox and find yourself shopping frequently at the online Microsoft Store, it is highly recommended that you join Microsoft Rewards, formerly known as Xbox Live Rewards. This is Microsoft’s gaming rewards program where you can earn points for purchases at the Microsoft Store and more. You can then redeem those points on Xbox gift cards, Xbox Live Gold Memberships, Xbox Game Pass, and more.

Earning with Microsoft Rewards

Microsoft previous rewards program for Xbox was called Xbox Live Rewards. However, as of May 2018, the program has merged into Microsoft Rewards. With Microsoft Rewards, you can now earn points for much more than completing actions and purchases while gaming on Xbox. Microsoft Rewards will now reward you points for any purchase at the online Microsoft Store, searching on Bing.com, taking quizzes and polls, and much more. To explore all the current points-earning opportunities and see how much each is worth, check out the rewards page, which is updated daily. It’s actually quite simple to start racking up points with Microsoft Rewards because of all the different earning opportunities they offer. Plus you’ll earn at least 1 point per $1 spent at the Microsoft Store!

In addition to earning points, Microsoft Rewards also has two status tiers within its program: Level 1 and Level 2. You can reach Level 2 by earning 500 Microsoft Rewards points every month. Once you hit Level 2, you can earn five times more points on Bing.com, save up to 10% on rewards from Microsoft products and services, and get access to exclusive offers.

Remember to stay signed in with your Microsoft account so your actions and purchases can be tracked and rewarded. Your points will show up next to your account name wherever you go, so you can track your progress easily.

Redeeming rewards with Microsoft Rewards

When you’ve saved up enough Microsoft Rewards points and you’re ready to cash them in, you have several options to choose from in the rewards store. You can redeem your points for a variety of gift cards, sweepstakes entries, and can even donate your points to nonprofits. According to Microsoft’s online help center, 5,000 points is roughly equal to $5 on their online store.

It’s worth noting that unlike all the other gaming rewards programs we’ve reviewed, Microsoft Rewards does not currently offer a way for you to directly get free video games. Instead, you can redeem your points for an Xbox gift card, which can then be used on the Microsoft Store to purchase popular games, apps, add-ons, movies, TV shows, accessories, and devices. So even though their rewards store doesn’t have specific games for you to redeem, all you need to do is redeem the Xbox gift card, which can score you free video games. In addition to Xbox gift cards, you can also get a one month Xbox Live Gold Membership or a one month Xbox Game Pass.

How to join Microsoft Rewards

If you have an Xbox, you already have a Microsoft account. This will make it super easy for you to create your Microsoft Rewards account. You just need to go to the Microsoft Rewards website and hit the button to ‘try it now.’ It’ll prompt you to sign-in to your Microsoft account and from there it should be smooth sailing.

So which gaming rewards program is best for you?

This is the million dollar question! The answer is that it is largely dependent on your personal preferences and the game console(s) you play on. For example, it doesn’t make sense to join My Nintendo if you don’t have a Nintendo Switch or DS3 console. If you have 2 or 3 consoles, a more universal program like My Best Buy is probably going to be a great option for you because you can buy all types of video games for all the different consoles. It’s much easier to keep track of your rewards in one program, rather than spreading it out across multiple.

Always remember that you’re losing out on possible savings and free video games by spreading your purchasing out with multiple retailers. This is largely the biggest mistake most gamers make. Also, many gamers may not be aware that they are currently earning rewards just for having an account with a console maker, and thus not fully taking advantage of the rewards points redemption opportunities. If you can pick one program and purchase all your games through that retailer, you’ll earn all the points in the affiliated rewards program and will be on your way to getting free video games much faster.

While we can’t make the decision for you, we’ve hope this post has helped you pick out which gaming rewards program is best for you! If you’re interested in learning how you can further earn and save on gaming, check out our article on the 5 best credit cards for gamers. Also, make sure to do your research on the hottest games out right now to further help you identify the best rewards programs!