Sony’s September State of Play might not have been the PlayStation Showcase many were expecting, but that didn’t stop the publisher from showing off a diverse roster of games. Between debuts for titles like Rise of the Ronin, and trailers for God of War: Ragnarok, it’s fair to say there was plenty for viewers to savor. Among all the videos, though, Sony also managed to find time to talk about one of its upcoming initiatives: PlayStation Stars.
Having been announced earlier this year, players have been expecting an update on PlayStation Stars for some time now. Aside from a few interviews and press releases, little has been shared by Sony in regard to what the reward initiative will look like. Thanks to the recent State of Play, that has now started to change, though these revelations have prompted some to compare the concept to NFTs.
What are NFTs
Before it’s possible to look at PlayStation Stars and whether Sony’s initiative can be viewed as a platform for NFTs, an examination of what the latter actually are is necessary first. Although the idea has spread across the internet over the last few years, the concept behind them remains a complex and highly polarizing one. In simple terms however, NFTs are one of the latest forms of digital cryptocurrency.
What makes these ‘Non-fungible tokens’ unique from other forms of cryptocurrency is the fact that each is also simultaneously a piece of digital art. Although each exists on a blockchain just like most forms of crypto, every NFT is unique and cannot be replicated. Crucially, people often purchase them for large sums of money before using them to buy and trade for other goods. It’s also worth mentioning that, thanks to the fact that NFTs are pieces of art, some people use them on social media platforms to reflect their identity.
Considering the amount of money that NFTs have generated in a short amount of time, it’s little surprise that more industries have adopted the concept too. As a result, there’s already a wide selection of gaming NFTs out there. While companies like Square Enix have outlined their plans to sell crypto art in the future, others like Konami and Ubisoft have already launched their own initiatives. Earlier this year, for example, the latter finished selling a raft of NFT 'Digits' to players from within Ghost Recon Breakpoint.
PlayStation Stars’ Collectibles
At just a first glance, it’s easy to see why people have compared PlayStation Stars to the gaming NFTs that other publishers have launched. From a simple design perspective, the digital collectibles share a lot in common with the cryptocurrency. From what has been shared so far, each could be described as a piece of digital art that reflects a part of Sony and PlayStation’s past. Some have pointed out that the Ape Escape collectible that was shown even shares common traits with the monkeys that have often been sold as NFTs.
When it comes to practical applications, though, Sony’s PlayStation Stars reward initiative has less in common with NFTs. For example, the platform holder has gone to great lengths to reassure its fan base that signing up to the platform will be completely free. Similarly, players won’t be able to exchange the collectibles they earn for real-world money or goods. Instead, the only aspect of NFTs that will be adopted on this front is their social dimension. Virtual display cases that contain the collectibles will subsequently be a part of every PlayStation Network profile.
How players earn PlayStation Stars’ collectibles is also a similar step-down from the realms of NFTs. While it sounds as though a pool of collectibles will be available all the time, certain rarer ones will seemingly only be unlockable during special time-limited campaigns. While no specific unlock criteria example has been shared so far, Sony has stated that some will be based on player activities and personal achievements. The platform holder has also mentioned that some will be tied directly to product ownership, which means a degree of investment will be needed if players want to get everything.
Although the idea of investing in digital collectibles sounds similar to the basic concept of NFTs, their lack of real-world value, uniqueness, and practical use mitigates this considerably. Instead, there are two examples from within Sony’s ecosystem that it can be argued PlayStation Stars' collectibles are more akin to. Design-wise, a case can be made for each being an evolution of the unlocks seen in Astro’s Playroom, while their social angle and unlock criteria could both be compared to PlayStation’s famous Trophy system.