How Xbox Players Are Using Microsoft Rewards to Get GTA 6 Without Paying Out of Pocket

NEW YORK — Some players say they are using Microsoft Rewards points and the Xbox Mastercard to cover the cost of *Grand Theft Auto VI*, as expectations grow that the game’s standard edition could cost more than today’s usual premium releases.

On Reddit, a user posting as “Financial_Specific24” said they pre-ordered the game using points earned through the Xbox Mastercard, a co-branded credit card issued by Barclays. Another user, “Automatic_Ad1665,” reported accumulating enough points through Microsoft Rewards without relying on the card.

At Microsoft’s current rate, 1,000 Rewards points are worth about $1. That means a player seeking a $100 “Ultimate” edition would need at least 100,000 points, exchanged for Xbox or Microsoft digital gift cards.

Microsoft Rewards points can be earned through daily and weekly tasks on the Rewards dashboard and Xbox mobile app. Activities include web searches, interactive polls and trivia quizzes. Users can set Bing as their default search engine on desktop and mobile to maximize daily earnings; completing tasks consistently also builds streaks that trigger bonuses and increase points over time.

Xbox players can earn more through quests in the Xbox mobile app, including activities for playing games on PC or console, launching the Xbox app and maintaining consecutive weekly gameplay streaks. Active Xbox Game Pass subscribers receive point multipliers for completing quests. Premium and PC-only subscriptions award twice the base points, while Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Microsoft’s highest gaming subscription tier, provides four times the points on eligible activities.

The Xbox Mastercard offers another way to build a balance through everyday spending. It has no annual fee and awards five points per dollar spent at the Microsoft Store, three points per dollar on eligible streaming services and dining delivery services, and one point per dollar on other purchases. Points are deposited automatically into the cardholder’s Microsoft Rewards account, so users can accumulate them without relying only on searches and quizzes.

The potential cost of *Grand Theft Auto VI* comes amid a broader rise in premium game prices. A standard release typically cost $59.99 during the previous console generation. After the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S launched, major publishers established a new $69.99 baseline. Retail projections and early listing indicators suggest standard editions of the upcoming Rockstar Games title could cost $80, with premium “Ultimate” editions priced at $100.

Take-Two Interactive Software Inc., Rockstar Games’ parent company, has defended premium pricing for high-budget titles. Chief Executive Officer Strauss Zelnick has said the company focuses on delivering value that vastly exceeds a game’s price, and that consumers have embraced premium tiers for high-quality, highly immersive entertainment experiences.

Building a rewards balance may take longer than it once did. Microsoft has made structural changes to the program, cutting point payouts for some search activities and introducing cooldown timers between consecutive searches.

Take-Two Interactive has officially targeted a fall 2025 release for *Grand Theft Auto VI*, leaving participants several months to accumulate points before the game reaches retail shelves.