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Electronic Arts Creates EA Sports-Branded Visa Debit Card
by Chris Remo [PC, Console/PC]
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December 3, 2009
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Electronic Arts has announced it is now offering, in conjunction with Visa, a prepaid EA Sports-branded debit card that will earn its users reward points that can be spend to purchase "select" EA Sports games.
Formally called the "EA Sports DebitSmart Visa Prepaid Card," its users can add funds to the card through a variety of means, and can use the card to spend those funds the same way they would use a traditional Visa card.
The card is issued by MetaBank, which also offers other branded versions of pre-paid cards, under license by Visa.
While the card's official site explains that users can cash in 6,500 reward points for an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 sports game, and 5,500 reward points for a Wii sports game, at press time there was no information as to how many points are conferred to cardholders for their regular purchases using the card.
However, language on the site implies that it is possible rewards are only gained by shopping at "thousands of participating merchants" as opposed to the "more than 20 million locations where Visa prepaid cards are accepted" for regular purchases.
The site also does not currently give any indication as to what is meant by the availability of "select" games that can be obtained with rewards points.
In trying to determine the details of the reward process, Gamasutra called multiple contact numbers listed on the website (one of which contained only a message that the number had been disconnected). After reaching a representative with the service, we were told, "I'm sorry sir. I'm not able to get that answer for you."
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Scamtastic. You have to shop at specific stores, there is no indication of how many points you can get, but you have to pay $2 per month to keep the card, which only works when you put your own money on it. Which they charge you to do, unless you use a "reload network," whatever that is. And they charge you for about half your purchases too! Awesome!
This Prepaid Visa shows no incentive to the consumer, just meaningless points you end up having to pay extra money to accumulate.
Note, if you're having trouble distinguishing where I'm being sarcastic, you have no moral integrity.