Just received an email from microsoft.

"You're a fan of us and we're a fan of you.

We want to show you our appreciation, so we're giving you:

KILLER INSTINCT

We've unlocked all characters so you can hit the ground running.

Watch your inbox on November 22 for instructions on how to claim your free gift.

Don't worry, we'll remind you.

We wouldn't be here without you,

and we know you'll do amazing

things on Xbox One.

Thank you from Xbox Live.

Jump ahead."

I don't even have a Gold account at the moment.

A bunch of people on GameFAQs are reporting they got the same thing.

I just got the same email. I've been gold member for almost 9 years and I have over 90k gamerscore, not sure if either of those are related.

Hope I can redeem this on the 22nd without an Xbox One because I probably won't get one for a couple of months.

Got it too. Still not getting an X1 anytime soon

Been gold for over 10 years, no e-mail. I gotta hold dat shit.

Got the email too. I haven't had XBL gold in awhile. At least 1 year, maybe two...not sure exactly. Wish I could actually make use of it(not getting Xbox One anytime soon).

I didn't renew last month and have had live/gold since it started. Got the email.
I'll believe free game when I get free game.

I got this an hour ago.

Thanks I guess? Shame I have no plans to buy an Xbox One anytime in the near future.

If anyone has a code and doesn't want it, you could PM me with a cherry on top.. :D

That's super cool of them. Honestly been impressed with the way Microsoft have turned things around with Xbone and have been listening and engaging with their players.

Wish I could give it to someone that could use it, but there is no code. It says they will email again on the 22nd with details on how to claim it, and that it will only be valid for the gamertag associated with the email address the email was sent to.

Wait! I thought this game was free to play?

Blaargh.. Thanks anyway..

LOL.

It is, but it will only come with Jago. Other characters will have to be purchased. This email says they will unlock them all for you for free.

Exactly. Its "free to play" meaning you have to pay to unlock everything else. Microsoft is unlocking everything for some people.

I'm not one of them. : (

I'm curious as to how many that actually is. Will it only be the 6 characters at Launch (Jago, Orchid, Sabrewolf, Glacius, Chief Thunder and Sadira) or all the ones in season 1 (Those 6 and Fulgore + Spinal). I assume it's the launch characters.

@manhattan_project: Could still get an email, I guess. And make sure you check your spam/junk folder. That's where I found the email.

Are we sure this isn't fake?

@manhattan_project: @metalbaofu: it only come with ONE character? I know it is not out yet but are they doing the LoL thing whre they rotate the character available? Cause if not people will be fighting nothing but Jago for awhile. lol This seems like an oversight. Good on whoever is getting the full game tho.

@guiseppe: The email looks like a valid Xbox email to me.

@eternalvigil: This page says it is the "combo breaker" edition, whatever that is.

It's not really free to play though. It's free to download a trial version and play as one character, but it's only 20 bucks if you want the entire game.

Yeah Microsoft have been a real class act, so good of them to forcibly shut everyone up about the bad Xbone versions of games.

I didn't get anything

How so? A bunch of previews from an event they did last week just went live and Dan Ryckert described Ryse as being "as fun as dialing phone numbers"

The blockade on ACIV, BF4 and Ghosts, 2 of which are confirmed to be lower resolution on the Xbone, I'm not sure about ACIV's visual fidelity on the Xbone, but BF4 is a lot worse.

Apparently it didn't end with just unlocking KI characters. Some people reportedly received notification they were getting a free Xbox One and a bunch of games. Of course to reward me for my 8 years of continuous Xbox Live Gold MS sent me jack shit nothing.

So you're worried about reviews for games that nobody can even play for 3 weeks? What difference does it make? Those reviews will still go live well before the system is out giving people plenty of time to make an educated decision

"You're a fan of us and we're a fan of you."

Creepy.

@mildmolasses: @lumley: @shaunage: Can't believe I got this far without anyone having asked this but what are your geographical locations, folks who got this code? This US only?

I'm in Australia, no Gold subscription at the moment, but the account is 8-9 years old, ~120k gamerscore.

The Xbox twitter account confirmed this and the emails offering free Xbox Ones and a stack of games are legit.

Yep 9 years of Gold and over 70k GS and I got nothing. Microsoft is good at making customers feel ignored, when you consider PS+ members get a lot of free games for just being members. I personally feel like Sony is better at showing customer appreciation even if it is just marketing smoke and mirrors.

I got nothing for Killer Instinct, but Microsoft sent me a code a few days back to unlock some cars when Forza 5's out.

Maybe it's targeted to people who have played certain games on their 360? Beats me.

@benny: Uk for me

No one has any idea if you had to sign up for some newsletter or follow them on friendster, or if they're just going straight to xbox live account emails?

I would be very suspicious but that is just me an emails from the blue offering free stuff.

Edit: To be clear, I am suspicious of contact users by "email" instead of the in console account/messaging system. It is as suspicious as receiving free Steam games by email instead of in Steam itself.

Never got one. WELL I GUESS ITS OFF TO THE FAILSTATION NETWORK NOW ISNT IT MICROSHIT?!!??1?1?//?/?

I wonder if the recipients of that email are determined by gamerscore?

@benny: I'm in Canada

Been a member of XBL for 9 years, and I even have an Xbox One pre-ordered solely for Killer Instinct. Checked my email... nothing. :(

@extomar:

I'm five years deep and have 105000+ gamerscore and I got it. It's gotta be a random thing, or they got a really weird algorithm....

The sad thing is I'm not that big a fan of fighting games. Oh well, better than getting 20ms points for my birthday.

Had XBL since it started and 30k gamerscore and I didn't get it. Seems like it's probably a pool of people and then random within that, but people with extremely high gamerscore tend to be getting it more often?

Oh well, can't be mad that someone else got something for free, I still intend to buy KI.

If anyone got it and doesn't want it I'll gladly take that code off your hands though it sounds like it might be tied to accounts in some way?

Has anyone got a notification they have something in the dashboard messaging system? Still seems "phishy" to me.

Beyond that, Microsoft should have done a general press push instead of just dropping email to accounts that may or may not be active. What is a more reliable and clearly legitimate way to get the word out than on the front page of Giantbomb.com and Gamespot and IGN and Kotaku?

Their official support twitter account isn't enough veracity for you? And the emails themselves don't ask anything of you. You don't need to log in, click a link or anything. And it comes from a signed xbox server

According to Gamespot, the emails were sent out to people with high gamerscores

So my gamerscore is officially considered low?

Guess my 81,000+ score don't mean shit. Good stuff MS.

I eagerly await my PS4 from amazon next Friday.

Damn, I've been a member since the beginning without lapsing and pre-ordered an Xbox one. Nothing.

Hopefully it shows up, my gamerscore is "only" 35,000.

Why would they target people with high gamerscores since those people will most likely buy an xbox one anyway? Giving codes for random gold members would have been a way better marketing trick.

I didn't get that but I sure as heck have been getting a ton of mail telling me to check out the new Xbox One and that whole jazz.