Sony’s PlayStation Stars loyalty program will pay you for playing games
You can also earn digital collectibles with PlayStation Stars, which Sony says definitely aren't NFTs
PlayStation Stars, a new loyalty program from Sony, will let you earn money and unlock exclusive digital rewards by playing games.
The free-to-join program launches later this year, and once you become a member, you can earn rewards by completing various activities. Activities include playing a game, winning tournaments, and earning specific trophies.
Members will earn loyalty points, which can be redeemed on various perks such as PSN wallet funds and select PlayStation Store products – though it’s unclear what those will be. Moreover, PlayStation Plus subscribers who sign up for PlayStation Stars will automatically earn points for any digital purchases.
➡️ The Shortcut Skinny
🆕 PlayStation Stars is a new reward program from Sony
💰 You can earn PSN wallet funds by playing games and unlock other perks
🙏 You can also unlock digital collectibles, which Sony says aren’t NFTs
😊 Microsoft and Nintendo already have similar loyalty programs
But wait, there’s more. Sony is also introducing a new type of reward called “digital collectibles.” These collectibles will celebrate Sony’s diverse portfolio of products and franchises and will include things such as figurines from your favorite games or devices from Sony’s product history. Sony says there will always be a new digital collectible to earn or an ultra rare item to go after.
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Thankfully, these digital collectibles are categorically not NFTs (non-fungible tokens). Speaking to The Washington Post, Sony’s vice president of network advertising, loyalty, and licensed merchandise Grace Chen assuaged fears from some gamers that PlayStation was jumping on the NFT bandwagon.
"It's definitely not NFTs. Definitely not," Chen said. "You can't trade them or sell them. It is not leveraging any blockchain technologies and definitely not NFTs."
A more rewarding way to play
Sony’s new loyalty program feels like a long time coming, especially as Microsoft and Nintendo have had similar schemes available for many years.
On Xbox consoles, gamers can earn points by playing games and redeem them for Xbox store credit, sweepstakes, and prizes. Nintendo also has a similar setup on Switch, where players can earn Platinum points to buy memorabilia and digital items like avatars. You can also earn Gold Points on every digital purchase that can be redeemed for store credit.
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It’s exciting to see Sony introduce a loyalty program, as being paid to play is the perfect way to incentivize PlayStation gamers. It’ll also help more PS5 owners access some of the best games on PS5, which tend to be $70 at launch.