Sony: PlayStation Loyalty Program Digital Collectibles Are Definitely Not NFTs

pcmag.com:

Sony is preparing to launch a brand new loyalty program later this year called PlayStation Stars and a range of digital collectibles to offer as rewards.

As the PlayStation Blog explains(Opens in a new window), PlayStation Stars takes the form of a free membership for PlayStation owners, allowing them to earn both rewards and loyalty points once signed up. Rewards are given out for tasks as simple as playing any PlayStation game within a "Monthly Check-In" period, or by completing a variety of specific campaigns and activities.

Some activities will earn loyalty points instead of rewards, but those points can then be redeemed in a catalog of items which includes PSN wallet funds. Sony didn't miss a trick and also linked loyalty points to PlayStation Plus membership. Anyone who subscribes to Plus will automatically earn points every time they make a purchase on the PlayStation Store.

To bolster the type of rewards on offer, Sony is also launching a new range of "digital collectibles." They are described as "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."

Talking to The Washington Post(Opens in a new window), Grace Chen, vice president of network advertising, loyalty, and licensed merchandise at Sony, insisted digital collectibles are not non-fungible tokens (NFTs): "It’s definitely not NFTs. Definitely not. You can’t trade them or sell them. It is not leveraging any blockchain technologies and definitely not NFTs."

New digital collectibles will be introduced regularly, and some are classed as "ultra rare." Sony is going to offer a special