There’s a new gaming credit card in town. Barclays and Microsoft have joined forces to launch a new co-branded rewards credit card: the Xbox Mastercard. The new card will be available exclusively to Xbox Insiders in the United States on September 21, but all the card details are already known. Here’s what to expect from the brand-new card for Xbox enthusiasts.
Xbox Mastercard Details
There are store and retail credit cards for all types of merchants, but would you consider a video game credit card? Barclays and Microsoft are bullish on the credit card market, resulting in the upcoming Xbox Mastercard – which Barclays is hailing as “a new way to earn more value for gaming.”
The new Xbox Mastercard will launch exclusively to Xbox Insiders in the continental United States, Alaska, and Hawaii beginning on September 21. Upon release, the Xbox credit card will feature a $0 annual fee and will earn enhanced points in key gaming categories and everyday essentials:
- 5X points per $1 on eligible products at the Microsoft Store
- 3X per $1 on eligible streaming services and eligible dining delivery services
- 1X per $1 on all other purchases
The Xbox Mastercard will also feature a bonus of 5,000 points (a $50 value) after the first purchase with the card, three (3) months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for new Game Pass members after their first purchase (you can gift it to a friend if you already have a Game Pass subscription), and the choice of one of five iconic designs for the card – with the option of personalizing it with their gamertag.
The 5X points per dollar on Microsoft Store purchases is a great incentive for anyone looking to purchase a new gaming console, laptop, or any other type of computer technology from Microsoft, Xbox, or any other related brand.
Eligible Streaming Services
The addition of dining and streaming is also nice – especially as gaming sessions tend to require snacks and drinks. The “Streaming services” category covers a lot of ground, so knowing what qualifies for 3X points can be tricky. Fortunately, there is an easy way to see which streaming services qualify with Barclays – in fact, here they are:
| Apple TV | Apple Music | Paramount+ | DirecTV |
| Fubo TV | Hulu | Netflix | NFL Game Pass |
| NFL Sunday Ticket | NHL TV | Pandora | Showtime |
| Sirius XM | Spotify | Starz | Vudu |
| YouTube Premium | YouTube TV |
Other Card Details
Beyond solid gaming rewards and a decent sign-up bonus, the Xbox credit card provides benefits and safety protections found in most Mastercard products. These include $0 Fraud Liability protection, so cardmembers are not responsible for charges they didn’t authorize. Other features include:
| Zero Liability Protection | Mastercard Global Services | ID Theft Protection |
Cardholders also enjoy free online access to view their FICO Credit Score, allowing them to monitor their credit score and receive alerts when it has changed.
As mentioned, the Xbox Mastercard will be available exclusively to Xbox Insiders in the United States beginning on September 21, with availability to all Xbox players across all 50 states coming in 2024.
Video games and gaming credit cards aren’t numerous, but the Xbox Card will face some opposition. The biggest competition for the Xbox Mastercard is Sony’s existing credit cards – especially the PlayStation® Visa® Credit Card. That card is a popular choice from Synchrony Bank that provides comparable rewards to Xbox, including 5X points per dollar on PlayStation or Sony purchases, 3X points per dollar on internet and cable bills, 2X points on dining, and 1X points everywhere else. The card also has no annual fee.
Related Article: Guide to Credit Card Streaming Services
Featured image by Microsoft/Xbox
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