Xbox Rewards Program gives free prizes for your increase in gamerscore

Get gaming with your Xbox 360 controller already, achievements await!Since launching in November 2005, Achievements and gamerscore have taken the gaming world by surprise. The “Achievement Unlocked” alert makes not firing once in the first 60-seconds of “Geometry Wars Retro Evolved” appears perfectly normal. Looking for hours on end for the 50th survivor in “Dead Rising” seems like just another day’s work. In fact, since the Xbox 360 launched, more than 200 Million Achievements have been unlocked.

Xbox 360 is teaming up with Old Spice to bring the first Xbox Rewards Challenge to Xbox Live. Gamers will be charged with increasing their gamerscore by 1,500 between February 12 and April 15, 2007. Since huge interest temporarily overloaded the site’s servers the past few days and caused delays for those trying to register, the contest is extended by three days. So you’ve got two months to bring your overall gamerscore up by 1,500 for the chance to earn rewards. Sign up first to join the challenge.

In order to participate, you need to have a valid Windows Live ID with your Xbox Live gamercard linked, be a legal resident of the 50 United States and District of Columbia (expect future challenges to be global in scope) and at least thirteen years-old.

Reward package qualifications:

* Level 1 (Gamers who have an annual gamerscore between 0-4,999 at time of entry): Game Picture, Dashboard theme, Contra for Xbox LIVE Arcade
* Level 2 (5,000-9,999 annual gamerscore): Level 1 Package, 100 Microsoft Points and a contest T-shirt
* Level 3 (10,000+ annual gamerscore): Level 1 Package, 200 Microsoft Points, contest T-shirt and Fusion Frenzy 2

In addition, Old Spice will give Level 1 and 2 the gift of experience by upgrading their Rewards Level for 2007.

Think you can do it? With more than $500,000 in total rewards, such as Microsoft Points and Xbox 360 games, it is time to tackle those unbeaten games and start unlocking Achievements, because this Spring the rewards go beyond just having an impressive gamerscore.

Log on to Xbox Rewards from February 12 to sign up for participation. Reward quantities are limited so gamers who reach the set goal will be awarded on a first come, first served basis only.

What exactly is an achievement? Microsoft defines an achievement as “A game-defined goal that is stored and displayed in your gamer profile. Achievements can be as simple, complex, or off-the-wall as a game wants.” Find tons of achievements at Achieve360points.