Sony has officially launched PlayStation Stars. It hasn’t received much attention since it was revealed in July and you’d be forgiven for not knowing what it is. So, what is PlayStation Stars?
When it was unveiled a few months ago, the response was muted. Sony wasn’t exactly shouting about it, aside from a brief blog article and some social media posts.
This left many PlayStation owners scratching their heads. Or just not knowing anything about it at all.
But is PS Stars something you should care about? How does it benefit PlayStation owners and when is it available?
If you’re wondering “what is PlayStation Stars”, check out our full explainer below…
What is PlayStation Stars?
What is PlayStation Stars? PlayStation Stars is a new loyalty program for PlayStation owners. According to Sony, members “earn rewards by completing a variety of campaigns and activities.”
Simply put, you’ll receive loyalty points and other rewards for playing games and spending money on PlayStation. However, there is more to it than that.
PlayStation Stars release date
PlayStation Stars launched on September 29th in Asia (including Japan). It is scheduled to launch on October 5th 2022 in North and South America and October 13th 2022 in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
Is PlayStation Stars free?
PlayStation Stars is free for everyone – you just need an adult PlayStation Network account.
If you don’t subscribe to PS Plus, you might be wondering if you’ll be excluded from Stars. Thankfully, PS Stars doesn’t require a PS Plus account.
However, Sony has stated that PS Plus subscribers will receive additional bonuses. For example, only PS Plus members will earn loyalty points when they purchase products via PlayStation Store.
You will also earn loyalty points by purchasing PlayStation Plus subscriptions.
What are campaigns?
PS Star’s campaigns are certain activities players must complete to earn loyalty points. Sony has explained:
“Our “Monthly Check-In” campaign simply requires you to play any game to receive a reward. Other campaigns will require you to win tournaments, earn specific trophies, or even be the first player to platinum a blockbuster title in your local time zone.”
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Sony has already announced a campaign called “Hit Play/1994”. Participants will have to “correctly launch games that match song-based clues”. For your trouble, you’ll get a “special collectible”.
PS Stars Loyalty Points
So, once you’ve started earning loyalty points, what are you supposed to do with them? Sony has explained: “Points can be redeemed in a catalog that may include PSN wallet funds and select PlayStation Store products.”
PlayStation Stars will initially only be available on the PlayStation App. Members must use the app to track and redeem their loyalty points.
Digital Collectibles
Another type of loyalty reward that Sony is offering to PS Stars members are “digital collectibles”. I can hear your sigh – but don’t worry. These aren’t NFTs. Sony says digital collectibles don’t “leverage blockchain technology”.
Additionally, digital collectibles can’t be resold or traded.
“Digital Collectibles are beautifully rendered, digital representations of things that PlayStation fans enjoy, including figurines of beloved and iconic characters from games and other forms of entertainment, as well as cherished devices that tap into Sony’s history of innovation. There will be new collectibles to earn regularly, ultra-rare collectibles to strive for, or something surprising to collect just for fun.
The digital collectibles you earn or acquire can be arranged on a display case within the PlayStation App. You can also set the display case to be viewed by others, if you choose.”
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PS Stars level system
Stars also features a four-level system dubbed “status levels”. Players level up by unlocking trophies and buying games in the PlayStation Store. According to Sony, players will receive more benefits when they reach higher levels.
Do you like the sound of PS Stars? Will you be signing up? Let us know in the comment section below and don’t forget to check out our other gaming articles…
