Japan can now buy MSpoints via cell phone
by Terrence Stasse 
{ May 25th 2008 at 9:00AM }
We haven't heard news such as this since the last time Microsoft was showing off the so far poorly executed Live Anywhere. Beginning Monday, the Japanese phone service provider NTT DoCoMo will allow its users to pay for MSpoints or a Gold Subscription right from their phone. Any purchases made via the "DoCoMo Mobile Payment Service" are charged to the phone bill, thus bypassing any form of credit card information going to MS. While a move such as this isn't exactly out of character for a company, we have to wonder about the practicality of it for the masses. The most useful situation would be if you were the type of player who uses point cards and doesn't have any CC info associated with their Gamertag. Buying points via phone could save a trip to the store AND keep the evil empire away from your bank info. However, if this comes to the US we foresee many, many XBL brats using their phones to avoid bugging mom and dad for their credit cards ....
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
goboColossus @ May 25th 2008 9:14AM
Wish they'd hurry up and bring back gifting... Promised someone 1000 MS Points only to find out gifting didn't exists anymore. Thankfully, the lowest retail cards are 1600 >:{
This isn't very interesting, certainly doesn't compare to tuning your Forza Motorsport 2 car on the road, or hooking up for a game of UNO on the L.
albinogoldfish @ May 26th 2008 1:39PM
they took away gifting? hen the hell did that happen? useless finals...always getting in the way of my game time...
Gamertag: GOPAL892005 @ May 25th 2008 10:02AM
why Japan of all places? atleast market it in Europe & USA where u actually sell a decent amount of hardware.
i'd say, pull out of Japan completly & put all the marketing resources into Europe, USA & AUS; & give us all the cool stuff like this :)
Doom3killer @ May 25th 2008 10:33AM
Japanese phones r more advance... they have build in credit card chips, so it can charge that (wave ur phone at a vending machine, ur credit card is charged $1, and u get a drink!)
mediajunkie @ May 25th 2008 1:54PM
FYI: Target in-store has a sale 5/25-5/31 - 1600 pts. for $14.99!!
goboColossus @ May 25th 2008 2:09PM
Awesome! Maybe I'll get Penny Arcade Adventures after all instead of waiting for a Mac compilation.
Thanks for the heads-up!
Deck @ May 25th 2008 4:21PM
If this is true, I'll be hitting up Target. I'll go check my local paper and see if its in there.
Thanks for the heads up!
Chester @ May 25th 2008 10:10PM
What a joke! Seriously is there a need for this?
Who's ever thought, "Gee i really wish i could buy MS points on my cellphone"?