Apps and avatars, both. If you recall, it was back in May that Microsoft launched game gifting on PCs through its Store, promising to expand this functionality to include PC and Xbox applications in the future.
The idea was simple — allowing users to send someone a game as a gift through the Microsoft Store.
Well, as pledged, the software giant has rolled out the possibility for app and avatar item gifting in its apps repository. Welcome as it is, there are a fair few limitations in this new program.
Starting with the fact that you can only buy 2 of the same discounted items and only up to 10 discounted products every two weeks. Luckily, gift purchases at full price have no such restrictions, and you can shop your heart out.
Oddly enough, the program still does not include gifting of Xbox 360 and original Xbox games. Same goes for original avatar items, preorders, free products and consumable downloadable game content.
How hard can it be?
What’s even more surprising is that you do not have the option of timing the delivery of the gift for a specific date and time.
Bummer.
Additionally, another limitation is that gift tokens can only be redeemed in the country or region where they were purchased. But this is somewhat understandable.
To get started, you will need to make use of the feature on you Windows 10 PC, Xbox console or via a browser. Then select the product that you would like to buy as a gift and enter the email address of the recipient or pick a Gamertag of your Xbox Live friends on the console.
This will send a code to the gift recipient on Windows, or a system message with a redemption button on Xbox One.
The expanded digital gifting starts from today for many of the apps and avatars, and Redmond has indicated that more items will be available for gifting on October 23.
Just in time for the holiday season!
At the end of the day, this is basic functionality, and is definitely something that should have been there from the very start of the Microsoft Store to facilitate the user experience. Good to see these improvements, but more are needed.
Let’s build on this, guys.
