Some Lucky Gamers Are Getting Free Xbox Gift Cards

Some Xbox users took to social media to state that Microsoft has distributed gift cards for free, and seemingly at random, across its gaming ecosystem. Ergo, Xbox players on consoles, PCs, and devices that support cloud-based gaming should check their inboxes to see if they have a digital gift card waiting for them to redeem.

The surprise move from Xbox came as the holiday shopping season kicked off in earnest. While retailers like Costco and GameStop did not offer any deals on Xbox Series X/S consoles, that did not stop Microsoft from hosting a Black Friday sale that saw heavy discounts on various console and PC titles. Some of the largest discounts offered during Black Friday focused on games like Hogwarts Legacy, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and Madden NFL 26. Additionally, Xbox Design Lab customers have until December 12 to claim a free, personalized engraving on any customized Xbox wireless controllers ordered by that date.

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Xbox Surprises Users With New Digital Gift Cards

Following the Black Friday sale period, Microsoft is seemingly surprising some users with new digital gift cards to redeem. On the Xcloud subreddit, a Redditor named AnXboxDude stated that Xbox is currently sending out digital gift cards worth $10 to various users within the Xbox ecosystem, not just on a console. AnXboxDude stated they received their $10 gift card code via the Xbox Cloud Gaming web app by checking the Offers and Credits section of the Notifications tab. The $10 gift card from Xbox can be put toward any digital item from the Xbox Store, including a one-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass Essential, priced at $9.99 before taxes are applied. Alternatively, the gift card code can stack with a credit or debit card payment to give gamers a discount on any Xbox product that can be purchased on its digital storefront.

As of this writing, it is not clear what eligibility requirements there are, if any, that Xbox uses to determine who will receive a $10 gift card for free. However, lucky users have until December 31 to redeem the $10 gift card code to the respective Xbox account. Users can check to see if they have a gift card waiting for them in their notifications via various means. On the Xbox PC app, users can click on the Notifications bell on the top left of the screen. While AnXboxDude had no idea why they were picked to receive an Xbox gift card code, another user stated they received one when they bought an Xbox Series X console. Given that the digital gift cards do not expire until the end of December, users should keep checking their inboxes and notifications to see if Xbox has chosen them as a lucky gift card recipient. Once redeemed, the $10 credit will stay on an Xbox user’s account indefinitely, so customers can take their time to decide what games to spend their gift on.

It’s Not Clear Who Microsoft Picks to Get a Gift Card

This is not the first time that Microsoft has given out some surprising freebies to its users this year. In April, digital Xbox gift cards worth at least $5 were randomly distributed to lucky users as part of Microsoft’s Spring Sale event. By comparison, the December offer from Xbox is double the amount that was distributed during the Spring Sale, which will give users more options to spend it on.

Though there is no particular reason how or why Microsoft chooses who gets a gift card, users should still check their inboxes periodically to see if an Xbox gift card is waiting for them. With more potential Xbox price increases being considered in the future, it remains to be seen if Microsoft will offer additional remedies to help gamers out.

Brand

Microsoft

Original Release Date

November 10, 2020

Original MSRP (USD)

$499

Operating System

Proprietary (Windows-based)

Processor

Custom AMD 8-core Zen 2 3.8 GHz

Resolution

720p – 4K UHD