The next time you switch on your Xbox 360 you’ll be prompted for an update – part of Microsoft’s bi-annual software upgrade for its ageing console. In the past updates have been major, with changes to the interface and the addition of Internet Explorer being the ones that stick out, but the one it pushed out yesterday is far more subtle.
Gamers who log in will now see that what used to be Microsoft Points (MS Points) will now be a currency value in their local currency. The currency shown is representative of the gamer’s Xbox Live account region, so if you have a South African Xbox Live account you’ll see that your points have been converted to the equivalent amount in rands. Local gamers with British or American accounts will see values for those countries’ respective currencies.
We originally reported that the most stable exchange rate for MS Points to real currency is around 400 MS Points per $5. At today’s currency exchange rate that would mean 400 MS Points should show up as a balance of around R51 in an Xbox Live account. Items in the Xbox Live Marketplace will also be for sale using rand values.
