Xbox and Windows users can now add money to their accounts with Bitcoin, the mysterious cryptocurrency that has made waves in the last few years for presenting the first, arguably viable, decentralized currency to compete with government-backed systems. The option to buy Xbox credit with Bitcoin was noticed and posted to Reddit by user shafnitz and subsequently confirmed by a help page on Microsoft’s commerce site.
The move makes Microsoft one of the largest tech companies yet to embrace Bitcoin, following Dell and Newegg’s lead from earlier in 2014. Microsoft began to quietly support the currency in recent months by adding a Bitcoin converter to its search engine, Bing.
According to Microsoft’s help page, Bitcoin cannot be used to purchase products directly at this time, but rather must first be used to add funds to a Microsoft account, which can then be spent on games, music, and videos from the Xbox, Windows, and Windows Phone stores (though not yet on physical merchandise). Bitcoin transactions are non-refundable and currently only supported in the United States. No word has been given about plans to roll the feature out in other countries.
While supporters of Bitcoin are generally thrilled about the announcement, Oxford economic sociologist Dr.Vili Lehdonvirta, speaking to TechRadar, cautioned against overestimating the announcement’s impact on the currency overall:
“Microsoft is the latest in a string of progressively larger firms to start engaging with Bitcoin. However, like many of the earlier adopters, my understanding is that Microsoft is not actually receiving Bitcoins itself, as it uses a partner that converts customers’ Bitcoin payments into dollars. This means that Microsoft itself will not be accumulating and thus spending Bitcoins, which somewhat limits the significance of this announcement. Microsoft is not entering the Bitcoin economy as such.”
Related Posts
Your Xbox ecosystem just levelled up across every device
Gaming Copilot is now live in the Xbox mobile app (beta), offering real-time AI help for gameplay, achievements, tips, and more.
I’ve played every major Zelda game, here’s what The Legend of Zelda movie needs to get right
In terms of iconic pop culture heroes, Link is up there with Luke Skywalker, Frodo Baggins, and Superman. While Benjamin Evan Ainsworth has proven himself capable enough to lead The Legend of Zelda's cast, adapting Link’s character for the big screen is a challenge. For much of the Zelda franchise, Link is depicted as a silent protagonist who serves as a stand-in for the player. However, that doesn't mean Link isn't a unique character. Each version of Link has a distinct story, but they are all known for their incredible courage, loyalty, and dedication to protecting the innocent. However, he has also shown many times that he can be silly, reckless, rageful, guilty, and tempted by greed. Link doesn’t necessarily have to speak in the film to appeal to audiences. However, he just can't be a one-dimensional fantasy hero. We have to see how multifaceted a person Link is as he grows and reacts to everything, carrying such a heavy burden as the Hero of Hyrule. Zelda should share the adventure with Link
PlayStation 5 can technically be a CD-player, if you’ve got a tinkerer’s heart
But a creator behind the YouTube channel Will It Work? decided to test that limit with a clever workaround. Using an unusual optical drive, he managed to trick the PS5 into reading CDs as if they were USB storage devices.