Sony’s September State of Play might not have been it PlayStation Showcase many expected, but that did not stop the publisher from showing off a diverse selection of games. Between debuts for titles such as Rise of the Roninand supporters for God of War: Ragnarok, it’s fair to say there was plenty for viewers to enjoy. Among all the videos, however, Sony also managed to find time to talk about one of its upcoming initiatives: PlayStation Stars.
After being announced earlier this year, gamers have been waiting for an update to PlayStation Stars for a while now. Aside from a few interviews and press releases, little has been shared by Sony regarding what the rewards initiative will look like. Thanks to its recent state of affairs, that has now begun to change, although these revelations have led some to compare the concept to NFTs.
What are NFTs
Before it is possible to look at PlayStation Stars and whether Sony’s initiative can be seen as a platform for NFTs, it is first necessary to examine what the latter actually are. Although the idea has spread across the internet in recent years, the concept behind them remains complex and highly polarizing. Simply put, however, NFTs are one of the newest forms of digital cryptocurrency.
What makes these “Non-fungible tokens” unique from other forms of cryptocurrency is the fact that each of them is simultaneously a piece of digital art. Although each one exists on a blockchain just like most forms of crypto, each NFT is unique and cannot be replicated. It is crucial that people often buy them for large sums of money before using them to buy and exchange for other goods. It is also worth mentioning that thanks to the fact that NFTs are works of art, some use them on social media platforms to reflect their identity.
Considering how much money NFTs have generated in a short time, it is little surprise that several industries have adopted the concept as well. As a result, there is already a wide variety 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 ended up selling a number of NFT ‘Digits’ to insider players Ghost Recon Breakpoint.
PlayStation Stars’ collectibles
At just a first glance, it’s easy to see why people have compared PlayStation Stars to the NFTs that other publishers have released. From a simple design perspective, the digital collectibles share a lot in common with cryptocurrency. From what has been shared so far, each one can be described as a piece of digital art that reflects a part of Sony and PlayStation’s past. Some have pointed out that Monkey Escape collectibles that were shown even share commonalities with the monkeys that have often been sold as NFTs.
When it comes to practical applications, Sony’s PlayStation Stars rewards initiative has less in common with NFTs. For example, the platform holder has gone to great lengths to assure its fans that registering on the platform will be completely free. Likewise, players will not be able to trade in the collectibles they earn for money or real-world items. Instead, the only aspect of NFTs that will be adopted on this front is their social dimension. Virtual exhibitions containing the collectibles will later be part of every PlayStation Network profile.
How players earn PlayStation Stars’ collectibles is also a similar step-down from the realm of NFTs. While it sounds like a collection of collectibles will be available all the time, some rarer items will apparently only be unlockable during special limited-time promotions. While no specific examples of unlock criteria have 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, meaning that a certain level of investment will be required if players want to get everything.
While the idea of investing in digital collectibles sounds like the basic concept of NFTs, their lack of real-world value, uniqueness, and practical use greatly diminishes this. Instead, there are two examples from Sony’s ecosystem that it could be argued that PlayStation Stars’ collectibles are more closely related. In terms of design, a case can be made for each of them which is a development of the unlocks seen in it Astro’s playroomwhile their social angle and unlock criteria were both comparable to PlayStationits famous Trophy system.
