Insider Mobile Apps reports that Microsoft may be ending its virtual currency and going to a system that will charge users real money.

The most popular platform for MS points has been the Xbox 360, where they debuted with Xbox Live Arcade releases in 2005. In the past 5 years there have been several modifications to the system, including lowering the smallest pack for purchase. When Games On Demand appeared with retail releases available for direct download, Microsoft allowed publishers to charge an actual amount to a credit card.

With the Zune and Windows Phone added to Microsoft’s virtual store fronts, the company no doubt wants to streamline their service. No indication has been made if the retail gift cards will be recalled or if existing points credited to accounts will be converted to their nearest dollar and cent equivalent.

Are you excited to be done with points? Or did you like having a little virtual pocket change rattling around your account waiting to spent?

Cross posted from zacshipley.com

A lot of movies and video games seem to come with cardboard sleeves around the plastic cases. These seem like something to hold additional materials, or maybe as a box for multiple discs (such as a season of a TV show). More often than not I end up with boxes that are just for a single movie in a single case. Maybe they help the movie stand out on a shelf in a store?

What do you think? Do you keep these sleeves? Do you keep your cases at all?

First starting life as a iphone/android game, Dungeon Defenders has since graduated to an PC/Xbox Live/PSN best seller. This hybrid of action RPG and tower defense has since become a hit with over 600,000 players worldwide. As one of 4 characters, your mission is to defend your crystals against hordes of oncoming invaders, either by your skills or your selection of defenses. Each character class has their own upgradable skills, and unique defenses. Several other classes have been added via downloadable content. The game is even more fun when you join up with other players via co-op. Weather you’re a casual gamer, a fan of tower defense titles, or a fan or RPGs looking for the next big smash, check this out.

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Sean is looking for some retro game goodies at the Mad Gear booth in the MAGFest 2012 Marketplace, but Earl Gray III walks off with the best haul! What’s a retro video game reviewer to do?

Follow Earl on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/EarlGrayThird

Check out Mad Gear for your retro game wares:
http://mad-gear.com
http://twitter.com/MadGearStore
http://facebook.com/MadGearStore

It’s no secret that many of us at Powet are and have always been life-long gamers. I think one of the most interesting things you can ask anyone who is a gamer is “what were your top 5 games growing up”? Depending on generation they grew up in or what system they played, the answers will generally be very different. I grew up with an NES and later graduated to the Genesis, I was also fortunate enough to have a local arcade, so here’s my top 5:

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The Amazon Gold Box Deal of the Day features both the DVD and Blu-Ray edition of the Transformers trilogy of movies today. They have been marked down significantly. The DVD edition has been marked down to 17.99 from 40.99 and the Blu-Ray edition has been marked down to 29.99 from 76.99. I believe a newer edition of the trilogy will be forthcoming with lots of extras not inlcuded in these sets, but this price is pretty hard to ignore. If you want to help our site and get a great deal at the same time, use the links below to purchase these sets!

The trilogy includes:
Transformers
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Transformers: Dark of the Moon

[UPDATE] I added in the 7 disc collectors set that is both Blu-Ray and DVD because it is also $60 off.

DVD	Blu-Ray	Deluxe 7 disc BluRay+DVD

Gaming can be deadly. Oh, we’re not preaching about violence in games becoming violence in real life. More about self-inflicted injury — like playing Starcraft in an internet cafe for 36 hours straight until your heart gives out. Sean and Vinnk discuss their narrow brushes with that big game pad in the sky by way of a variety of titles mobile, PC, and console.

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