Microsoft to Introduce New In-app Transaction System

Beards and beaks - a new Windows Phone game developed by Microsoft Game Studios was released last week. The game has a community of gnomes pitched against a murder of crows that has invaded their hometown called Gnomeville.

Now, this game has two interesting features. First, the game is developed entirely in-house by Microsoft Game Studios which is quite thrilling as the concept is original with the phone as the sole platform.

Microsoft introduces microtransactions with Beards and Beaks

The second and more prominent feature is that it includes microtransactions. The player has a certain set of arsenal at his disposal and can replenish them with microtransactions, in case they run out of artillery. Other downloadable content includes maps, some of which are free, or have to be paid with Microsoft’s new point system. These in-application purchases use Microsoft Points rather than real currencies or credit cards and a points budget can be maintained.

This could go two ways – it could integrate the Windows Phone into the broader Xbox ecosystem or become an annoying overhead for users given that the platform already deals with users' credit cards. Only time will tell.