Microsoft’s upgrade for PC gamers

Microsoft is fundamentally renewing its Xbox Rewards program. This is particularly pleasing to PC gamers: The Game Pass will be expanded to include quests and new weekly rewards, but the age limit will be raised to 18 years. This is how you collect the bonus points now.

Xbox Rewards is relaunching in the new year

Microsoft is comprehensively overhauling its Xbox Rewards program on January 7, 2025. From this point on, PC Game Pass subscribers will also be able to collect points through Game Pass Quests – a feature that was previously reserved for Ultimate members. At the same time, the group is introducing new quests and weekly rewards, but limiting participation to users aged 18 and over.

Expanding the program to PC Game Pass users opens up access to the bonus points to a larger group of players. However, some restrictions apply: Points can only be collected for games from the Game Pass catalog. Titles that require a third-party launcher or are played via Battle.net are excluded. Xbox Game Pass Quests: Microsoft is restructuring its bonus points

New quests and streaks

The revamped quest system offers daily, weekly and monthly objectives:

• Daily play: 10 points for playing at least 15 minutes
• Weekly Streaks: Rewards for five days of play per week, with multipliers for longer streaks
• Monthly “Packages”: Points for playing four or eight different titles

We’ve redesigned Game Pass Quests to be easier to use and more fun – we’ve made it possible to earn even more points just by playing your favorite games and discovering your next favorite games.
Jesse Janosov Microsoft GM Business Intelligence and Growth

In particular, the return of weekly streaks could be met with great approval by many players.

Age limit and adjustments

An important change concerns the minimum age: The Xbox Rewards program is now limited to players aged 18 and over. Microsoft justifies this step with the aim of promoting age-appropriate gaming experiences. Existing points will be retained, and younger users can continue to earn points through other activities such as Bing searches or approved purchases.

There are also innovations for players aged 18 and over without Xbox / PC Game Pass. You will receive a weekly PC bonus of 150 points if you play for at least 15 minutes on five or more days. At the same time, the weekly console bonus was adjusted to 150 points.

Outlook, background and evaluation

The Xbox Rewards program was originally launched in 2010 to reward gamers for their activity on the Xbox platform. Since then, it has undergone several revisions to keep up with changing gaming habits and technology. The current overhaul of the Xbox Rewards program shows Microsoft’s effort to make the system more attractive and to integrate PC gaming more deeply into its ecosystem.

The inclusion of PC Game Pass users and the introduction of new quests could motivate more players to actively participate. The current changes seem to be a step in the right direction, even if they only slightly improve the system.