After 13 years of operation, Microsoft has announced that it would soon phase out the Xbox Ambassadors program.
On its website today, the corporation announced that it will be closing this section of its community outreach as of right now. After that, on October 15, the Xbox Ambassador website will close. Until then, all active service subscribers can use the remaining coupons and awards.
Xbox Ambassadors, according to Microsoft, “represent what inclusivity, safety, and fun are at the core of a healthy gaming community.” Accepted participants will promote the Xbox community by representing the brand. The firm hopes to use these experienced gamers to keep a positive attitude among all of its followers. Xbox Ambassadors are not paid staff members; however, to be accepted, candidates had to fulfill some prerequisites, such as being at least 17 years old and possessing a minimum Gamerscore of 1,500. Prominent participants were acknowledged with tangible and virtual gifts, in addition to editorial features and competition chances.
Microsoft claims to have “learned so much from this passionate group,” but due to the way the Xbox brand has changed over the past ten years, it has decided to end the initiative. The firm has stated that it would provide further information on how it intends to “expand” its Rewards with Xbox and Xbox Research services “soon.” Seasonal Ambassador Quests will be phased out starting today. A “new, more global way to share feedback directly with” the company is also mentioned in the announcement, hinting that gamers will soon have additional opportunities to test out early access to new games and features.
“In addition to Xbox Insider Program, Fanfest, and Rewards with Xbox, players are finding greater value in interacting with us in other ways that enable them to live our community values of making Xbox a place where everyone can have fun,” the statement released today reads. “We feel that this is the right time to incorporate the lessons and values of the Ambassador community into all of our player engagement programs because of the work this group has done in making gaming more accessible and global for players than it has ever been.”
There will be weekly sweepstakes for Xbox Ambassadors who want to use their tickets before the closure in mid-October, to help ease them into the new era of Xbox. The ambassador badges will also be changed with “a special legacy design,” and the rewards website will provide more information about “a special thank you” for individuals who continue to be active during this final season.
The Xbox Ambassadors program is being phased out amid a turbulent year for Microsoft Gaming. The company has experienced wave after wave of layoffs, as have many others in the gaming sector. Xbox laid off 1,900 employees in January, and additional layoffs were announced in May along with the closure of Tango Gameworks and Arkane Austin studios. Only this past week, 650 more employees were let go.
