I grinded enough Microsoft reward points to get GTA 6 for free — here's how you can do it too

GTA 6 pre-orders went live last week, and if you haven't secured a copy yet or you'd rather not pay full price for it, Microsoft Rewards could help cover the cost.

I used the program to earn enough points to redeem Microsoft Gift Cards, letting me preorder the game without paying out of pocket. If you start now and stick with it over the next few months, you could do the same and grab the year's biggest game release without spending a dime.

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How to set up for success with Microsoft Rewards

It all starts with something you're probably already doing — searching the web.

Instead of using Google on your phone or laptop, you can begin your quest for a free copy of GTA 6 by switching to and using Bing as your default search engine. Be sure to sign in with a Microsoft account and log into Bing with that account each time you search, though!

Once you're signed up, you can add a few daily Microsoft Rewards activities to your routine. They only take a few minutes and can significantly increase your point total over time. Even better, if you’re an Xbox or PC gamer, you can earn even more points simply by playing select games you already own, or by shopping for new games.

The ultimate goal for a free copy of GTA 6 on Xbox is to redeem 85,500 Microsoft Rewards points, while also reaching Level 2 status, which unlocks discounted redemption rates.

Point redemptions, explained

At Level 2 on Microsoft Rewards, you can redeem 10,000 points for a $10 Microsoft Gift Card, 25,000 points for $25, or 50,000 points for $50. Combined, that's enough to cover the standard Xbox version of GTA 6, including sales tax in many states. If you're aiming for the Ultimate Edition, you'll want to save 100,000 points for a $100 gift card, though you'll likely need to cover sales tax with your own cash.

If you're planning to buy GTA 6 on PS5 instead, Amazon gift cards are another option, though they typically require more points and aren't always available on Microsoft Rewards. When they're in stock, you can redeem 10,500 points for $10, 26,250 points for $25, 52,000 points for $50, or 105,000 points for a $100 gift card.

Microsoft Rewards also stocks Best Buy gift cards, should you prefer that retailer. It’s the most expensive gift card available — 14,000 points for a $10 Best Buy card, 35,000 points for $25 or 70,000 points for $50. You can max out at 140,000 points for $100.

Just remember, whichever route you choose, you'll need to keep earning at least 500 points each month to maintain the discounted redemption rate.

Microsoft is also known to frequently change Rewards offers, redemption rates, and available gift cards. The rates are current at the time of writing, so the exact number of points required may vary over time.

Every search counts

I've been using Microsoft Rewards for years, so I already had more than enough points to redeem the game for free. But even if you're just starting, you can still build a healthy balance before GTA 6 launches and, at the very least, take a big chunk off the asking price.

The easiest points earned come from Bing searches. Currently, you can earn up to 250 points per day by completing web searches across both your PC and phone, with each search worth 5 points. 100 total for mobile, and 150 total for PC.

Over a week, that’s 1,750 points, and in a month of 30 days, roughly 7,000 points. If you keep that pace up by the time GTA 6 launches, you'll earn around 42,000 points, which already knocks $40 or half off the price of the game on Xbox.

Downloading the Bing mobile app gives you even more opportunities. You can check in to the app every day for a seven-day streak to earn bonus points, complete Bing's daily news reading tasks for up to 30 points per day, and keep searching on consecutive days to collect puzzle pieces that can unlock a 1,000-point bonus. The app has plenty of offers, so it’s always good to check the Rewards section!

Combined, these activities can add thousands of extra points over several months. Even without playing Xbox or PC games or buying anything from Microsoft, you'll still make meaningful progress toward covering the cost of GTA 6.

Bonus tips for more rewards

If you own an Xbox or regularly play games on PC, the rewards add up even faster. You can always check the Microsoft Rewards dashboard on the web, or the Xbox app for bonus activities, since these are always changing.

During the week I wrote this article, I earned 50 points from search bonuses with the Windows 11 Search Box, around 30 points per day from Microsoft's Daily Set, and 40 points each day for simply playing Forza Horizon 6 for 15 minutes on PC through Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

Oh, and don’t forget that purchases from the Microsoft Store earn Rewards points too. Every dollar you spend with Microsoft helps build your balance, making future game purchases like GTA 6 even cheaper. Rates are 10:1 for Level 2 members of Microsoft Rewards.

I've accumulated nearly 2.5 million Microsoft Rewards points since joining the program, redeeming them for games, $200 toward a PS5, and another $200 toward a MacBook Pro. It takes consistency rather than luck, but spending just a few minutes each day searching with Bing and completing Microsoft's daily activities can add up to meaningful savings when you really want to buy something nice.

Microsoft Rewards might not replace an actual paycheck, but if you're already using Microsoft's services, the points can add up surprisingly quickly and help offset some of your gaming costs.

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