Microsoft giving away Xbox One’s Killer Instinct with all characters unlocked to loyal customers

Microsoft is rewarding its loyal customers by giving out free copies of Killer Instinct for Xbox One with all of the characters unlocked. Emails welcoming current Xbox 360 owners are being sent out welcoming them to the new generation.

"You're a fan of ours and we're a fan of yours," the offer reads. "Thank you for your dedication to Xbox. 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," the message continues. "Watch your inbox on 22 November for instructions on how to claim your free gift."

Killer Instinct will technically be free to download when the Xbox One launches later this month, but Microsoft is hesitant to call it a "free-to-play" title. That's because it doesn't follow the traditional free-to-play model. The launch lineup will consist of six characters, but only one character, Jago, will be playable if you download the game for free. The other five you'll have to buy for $4.99 each or through the Killer Instinct Combo Breaker pack ($19.99) which also grants early access to two post-launch DLC fighters.

What's odd is that not every Xbox owner seems to be getting the offer. The person who originally posted the email on NeoGAF claims they have been a Gold subscriber for seven years and has the Xbox One pre-order Achievement. He also has the highest tier on Xbox LIVE Rewards for Achievements unlocked. I'm not sure if any of that has to do with the invite, but other users on GAF are also claiming they're receiving the reward. Perhaps they are being sent out in waves?

We've yet to receive our email, but we've at least reached out to Microsoft for further clarification. Maybe this is an answer to the wonderful games Sony will include in its own PlayStation Plus subscription.