Love the Xbox 360? Love Visa? If you Live in India, You Get the Best of Both Worlds
By Stephany on Wednesday, June 11th, 2008 at 1:41 PM PST In Computer, Game Companies, Game Consoles, Game Platforms, Gamer Life, Games, Games Industry, Microsoft, Microsoft
Since the Xbox 360 has become so popular in India over the past two years, Microsoft and ICICI Bank have teamed up to offer the citizens a Xbox 360 Visa Card.
Yep, that is exactly what they need… a credit card complete with interest, hidden fees, and the general jackassery that comes with all credit cards. What are they wanting to do, spread the cc debt disease that is rampant in this country? For shame!
Microsoft’s reasoning behind this (besides money) is to “enable customers to enjoy the benefits of Digital Entertainment products”. The card will come with the added benefit of discounts on Samsung, Kodak, and Xbox 360 products.
For example: Purchase a wireless controller with the card and get 10% off – buy Dead Rising, Dead or Alive 4 , Gears of War or certain other games and you get to take 15% off the price. Orders have to be completed at an online store, but that just makes spending the money even easier and the only thing that “incentives” like the ones mentioned above accomplish is an excuse to purchase something and go further into debt.
If this goes over well in India, I expect the Xbox 360 Credit Card to hit our shores in the near future. If that does happen, I would hope that people are smart enough to give it a wide berth.
On a smarmy note, this may be Microsoft’s way of getting at least part of the paychecks back from its help-desk employees which the company bases out of India. Nice outsourcing there Bill.
Thanks: Siliconera
There’s nothing wrong with credit cards if you use them intelligently. When I bought my PS3 I got $100 off and six months no interest because I applied for the Sony affinity card. When the six months was up I paid it off in full and canceled the card.
I take advantage of these kind of deals all the time. It’s not the card’s fault if individuals can’t control their spending and buying habits.
People in this country need to learn to only use their card to buy what you can afford. If you can’t pay it off next month, you don’t need it!. And for the sake of all that is holy, get your heads out of this “what’s the monthly payment” mentality!
I wonder if this suffers from the RROD too.