"As part of the recent Xbox 360 system update, Microsoft Points will be retired and the Xbox.com PC Marketplace will be closed as of August 22, 2013," says Microsoft on its support site.

The Games for Windows Live service will continue to operate, the company adds, and customers who have purchased content already through the service will still be able to redownload it through the Games for Windows Live client.

"We encourage you to spend your Microsoft Points balance prior to this change. Although you will not be able to purchase new games, you can continue to enjoy previously purchased content by downloading it through the Games for Windows Live client software as usual."

The news comes days after .

Microsoft has posted formation as part of an

From: www.gamespot.com

According to a , League of Legends developer Riot Games and American Express will formally unveil the debit cards on Wednesday, along with a sponsorship deal in the game from the American financial company.

The prepaid debit card will feature images of the game's characters, with the New York Times showing an image of a Teemo-branded card. Owners can also accumulate Riot Points, used in League of Legends to buy characters, costumes, and bonuses.

Customers receive 1000 Riot Points for signing up, followed by another 1000 when loading the card with $20 of credit. 10,000 Riot Points are offered for linking the card to a direct deposit account, and the first 10 purchases made with the card will also hand out bonus points.

American Express general manager Stefan Happ said that the scheme was designed to attract a generation of players that are becoming harder to target with traditional advertising. #147;It gives you a sense of how deeply engaged the players are in playing this game,#147; said Happ. #147;We are about loyalty, we are about contact and long-lasting engagement. This is an ideal fit from an audience perspective.#147;

The deal will include a 30-second advert from American Express about the prepaid debit card, alongside a series of banner ads to run on the company's Championship Series site.

Alongside the League of Legends debit cards, Blizzard and Visa also have a partnership to provide .

From: www.gamespot.com

According to a , League of Legends developer Riot Games and American Express will formally unveil the debit cards on Wednesday, along with a sponsorship deal in the game from the American financial company.

The prepaid debit card will feature images of the game's characters, with the New York Times showing an image of a Teemo-branded card. Owners can also accumulate Riot Points, used in League of Legends to buy characters, costumes, and bonuses.

Customers receive 1000 Riot Points for signing up, followed by another 1000 when loading the card with $20 of credit. 10,000 Riot Points are offered for linking the card to a direct deposit account, and the first 10 purchases made with the card will also hand out bonus points.

American Express general manager Stefan Happ said that the scheme was designed to attract a generation of players that are becoming harder to target with traditional advertising. #147;It gives you a sense of how deeply engaged the players are in playing this game,#147; said Happ. #147;We are about loyalty, we are about contact and long-lasting engagement. This is an ideal fit from an audience perspective.#147;

The deal will include a 30-second advert from American Express about the prepaid debit card, alongside a series of banner ads to run on the company's Championship Series site.

Alongside the League of Legends debit cards, Blizzard and Visa also have a partnership to provide .

From: www.gamespot.com