PlayStation Is Adding Its Own Version Of Microsoft Rewards This Year

Excellent news! This is the one of the main things I’ve been going on about PlayStation lacking as it adds so much more player engagement than trophies/achievements alone. A step in the right direction for Sony.

PlayStation users have much to thank Xbox for. Sony is turning the PS into an Xbox and they are all very happy with these changes.

I don't go hardcore for reward points but I've started doing that streak poll since last week. Also like when I get points just searching on bing.

Getting achievements rarely does anything for the reward center of my brain, except when it's needed for the weekly or monthly check marks. Especially so, for the trophies, "DING you did something!" But this may change that, if there is a purpose behind the trophies, like the achievements.

Xbox rewards are ok but the thing all seems so misguided and not simple to use, un organised and cluttered UI.
I also use Nintendo rewards on the Switch, it seems so simple in comparison to Xbox rewards.
Maybe it’s my simple brain. But it is similar with the Xbox dash board as well, especially when drilling down to things.

@deadmaker Pretty sure nintendo came up with a reward scheme first....

And a gaming subscription service and streaming which sony did years before xbox...

All three have each other to thank as they have borrowed ideas from each other and made gaming what it is today and kept it competitive

@Bleachedsmiles FYSA they previously had a program (Sony Rewards) that they discontinued most of the ways to earn points in game this year. You’d get rewards for getting trophies and buying games, if memory served me correct. It was a Sony website that was not often talked about or well known.

@Dezzy70 The rewards are organised - they have their own page, and it’s pretty clearly laid out (just click on the box you want). However, the rewards page/app is pretty busted at time…often I’ll go ‘check out a game’ for an easy 5 points or whatever and it will open either the wrong thing or won’t send me straight back to the rewards page (usually sends me to the store).
And, it would be nice if the daily/weekly/monthly challenges were all on the rewards page rather than buried in your profile. I can see how this adds to confusion.

Nintendos reward system is simple because there’s only one layer to it - you get a couple of points back whenever you spend money.

The whole digital collectible thing sounds like something PlayStation home would have really benefited from. Hopefully this is a sign that that’s coming back!

More than likely it will just be profile pics or dynamic themes

If by Subscription Service, you mean PlayStation Now, @UltimateOtaku91, you are absolutely right that Sony did it first as it began a full 2 years before Games Pass did. However, in terms of, quality GP was winning hands down when compared to PS Now, which is why the PlayStation was effectively forced into bringing in their new Tiers, though as a yet, I still think that GP has the edge, both in quality and with regards to Day One releases.

I absolutely agree, that Microsoft will have taken inspiration from Sony, and I think it fair to say that Sony have responded in kind, and even the most ardent of Sony fans, yourself included, would like begrudgingly admit some thanks to the Games Pass. At the moment, Sony's service is not quite there, however, I would add, that the current GP is far superior to how it was at launch, and is probably 4 or 5 times bigger now than it was back in 2017, so I have every expectation that Sony's service will improve still further...

@UltimateOtaku91 I haven't been an Xbox user for long, so I don't know who came up with a rewards program first. However, it's undeniable that this generation Sony has been walking on Xbox path. Studio acquisitions, a rental subscription service on par with Game Pass, first party games on PC, now a rewards program (read on Twitter they had this previously, but it must've been quite obscure, I suppose). I wonder what's next? Maybe we'll see the new PS Plus working on PC and smartphones soon.

@deadmaker Don't....

I love Microsoft rewards it paid for my series X and gives me about £20 a month in credit.

good luck with sonys offering topping that

@Fiendish-Beaver @deadmaker I'm by no means saying playstation plus extra/premium is better, I was just trying to point out that xbox, playstation and nintendo all "copy" each other over different things and sometimes they help each other, like xbox is helping sony with their servers and letting them use theirs. It all helps make better competition, you could say xbox used playstations subscription service as inspiration and made it better by making gamepass whilst in return sony are using the rewards program as inspiration for theirs.

Each of them are pushing each other further to new heights which results in both playstation and xbox players getting better service and products.

Also to add, playstations original subscription had pc streaming back in the day and their new subscription model also allows for pc streaming.

@themightyant not that I would use them a ton. But I do kinda miss the days of PlayStation home, Xbox Avatars, Nintendo Miis, etc. If those things were developed now rather than in 2007-09 then I feel like it would be a better fit and they would last longer.

@Bleachedsmiles
Nintendos rewards on the Switch give you icons and things as well if you complete certain game objectives or just play a certain game.
Also you get silver coins to spend on things.

Let's hope this one is a bit more friendly for non USA residents unlike Microsoft rewards. Here in Europe the Microsoft rewards aren't all that special. But yeah I always see these things as bonus since I'm doing them anyways getting a reward for that is a big plus

@deadmaker the only thing Microsoft have added to the console space is making paid subs the norm.

Im glad that competition ensures good ideas are copied.
Ive never used microsoft rewards and no doubt I wont use Sonys version either, but Im glad they are there for those that wish to engage.

"The rewards dont sound as good though" not saying I disagree @FraserG but bit baity no? You know how easily a few get wound up in here lol.

@Decoy_Snake Yeah, let's pretend Xbox never contributed positively to the industry. 🤦🏻‍♂️

@Titntin Maaan... consider starting to use them. I've been doing a "Sales + Gift Card" combos and have saved quite a bit on games purchases!

@deadmaker I'm not saying they haven't the adaptive controller is an amazing innovation & the cloud tech is great but all the things that people think there responsible for they aren't. Online play on console (Sega were trying it on the mega drive, did better with the Dreamcast), games on demand (again Sega tried with Sega Channel, Sony had PSNow), a TV based streaming app (again Sony with PSNow), hard drives in consoles (PS2 in Japan predates Xbox by a few months), rewards scheme (Club Nintendo was launched in the early 2000's)

@Titntin you need to get on it I started doing them when my S arrived so far I've had 6 months of GP Ultimate (the only way I'll sub to the service) & £35 in gift cards

@Decoy_Snake They might've not invented many of these things (and I never stated that), but made them in such a way that compels their competitors to move out of their comfort zones and work in favor of users rather than themselves so they don't fall behind. That's why Sony had to revamp PS Plus and why they're presenting a new rewards program, because these are things that work on the Xbox and weigh on consumers' decision.

Good initiative and a marketing hit but, knowing Sony, the value will not be very good.

@deadmaker I'd agree but I think they need to see how the stars thing works before they thank anyone

@Banjo- Gotta give it to MS Sony has been reacting to things Xbox does a fair bit last few years but it has gone the other way in the past.

We all know Jim Ryan has a rep but im not writing off the value of Sonys scheme yet loyalty schemes are very adaptable. Even if some of Sonys offerings are not.

UK here and one supermarket has never had a points scheme while others have for years. Launches their own and id argue it surpasses the rest. Took what the others did and launched it with their own spin and paid off.

@Decoy_Snake who was doing cloud gaming before Microsoft? They also did party chat first, FWIW.

@trev666
Dude I am hardcore about MSRewards Points, I make sure to do the dailu polls and get an achievement every damn day. It has kept me a member of XGPU for over two years. Besides paying for my monthly Ultimate fee, I have gotten multiple Xbox Store gift cards, $20-$50 ones. But you are really tryin to say that you have paid for an Xbox Series X just with rewards points??? I really find that hard to believe. Mad congrats to you if you did though!

For everyone saying Xbox did this first, No PS did this first....

Straight up Xbox did Xbox Live first.
Mic Drop!

And yes they did charge for it, PS did not...
But PS also got its entire user bases info hacked abd was offline for a month plus.

You get what you pay for.

@Decoy_Snake
And I was a Proud member of SEGA Channel!! Game Pass LOOOOOONG before Game Pass.

But you sound honetly annoying trying to come off like you know everthing and that Xbox has only made gamers "get used to paid subscriptions"
Why are you lurking www.purexbox.com with that as your mindset?

@Stoned_Patrol I certainly did buy a series X with my rewards point dont get me wrong it was a few years worth of points but certainly well worth it

@twztid13 well Sony with PS Now as it was streaming PS3 games when that launched they weren't doing it as well as MS do it but it was there, I actually mentioned the cloud tech being great and the adaptive controller in my first reply 👍🏻

@Stoned_Patrol by having basic knowledge of what's come before? I post on here because I own an Xbox, while things like the adaptive controller and the way better cloud tech (& party chat which was mentioned in a reply to me) when I think about Xbox's impact on the console market the first thing I think is how they normalised subscriptions.

I didn't use my Xbox One a lot so I never realized how good MS' rewards program is until I got a Series X. Already have earned a $10 card at the end of the month, twice, and it was pretty easy to rack up the points to do so, even with the limited time I have to game.

@Decoy_Snake

“ when I think about Xbox's impact on the console market the first thing I think is how they normalised subscriptions.”

Sure, sure, what you conveniently seem to ignore in your Taliban like objectivity is the fact that Sony and Nintendo had a choice of NOT following the subscriptions route, but yeah Microsoft made them do it , blah, blah,etc,etc.

@Decoy_Snake sorry, i only read 1 post, where u said the only thing Microsoft added was making paid subscriptions the norm. That's what i replied to. I wish this comment section was better, & included the post numbers at least. That wouldn't be too hard for the web designers to add, & would help us follow conversations much easier, especially when someone has multiple posts in the same comment section.

I forgot about PS Now. Everyone i knew on ps3 & 4 (don't have a ps5 myself) always made fun of it, so i never knew anyone who subscribed or was interested in the slightest in it. My bad.

@themightyant to be fair, games with gold & the extra games with ps+ were an afterthought. People bought ps+ & Xbox live gold (which games with gold was added to, no one i have ever known has subscribed just for games with gold) to play online multiplayer, or in the 360 days, because of the far superior party chat on Xbox. That's what they were paying for, not the "free" games. Also, the 360 games were urs to keep even when not subscribed, so that's superior in some people's perspective, even though the titles may not be "better" (which is completely subjective).

@Stoned_Patrol people i know who do all the searches on mobile & PC daily, the daily sets, all of the bonus points on the website & MS rewards Xbox app, the game pass ultimate extra quests, and spend money on things in the Xbox store (which builds up quite a bit, especially like now when bonus points are given for every dollar spent) have had LOTS of credit saved up. Now, u only have 3 months to use the credit, sadly, so it's more limiting, but in the past u could do great when they offered the Xbox credit at a discount every so often. Back then, u got codes u could actually save for later & build up. You could also do these things on multiple accounts if u had the time. Now, it's been changed to force auto deposit into ur account, so u can't benefit from multiple accounts for Xbox credit, and u only get the discount for the auto redeem once a month (they don't offer discounts on credit anymore, except the auto deposit for Xbox credit through the console). I have several friends who had more than enough to get a series x that way, but u have to wait until the MS store has them in stock, which isn't easy, so they spent them on gacha games that have $200+ purchases, unfortunately. That opened my eyes on how much people can make.

I make a good amount of points every month, but i don't spend much of my own money anymore. I use the points for Walmart credit, which are more expensive than Xbox credit, so i can buy groceries recently, but it's a great program, & definitely possible to get a series X if u save up the points (multiple friends had over $600 in points. I'm not sure how long they saved for that, at least 2 years IIRC, but still, that's amazing IMO).

@Sol4ris I've never been compared to a terrorist organisation before 😂

@twztid13 don't worry about it

@dsar9012 Xbox fans have literally the same things they had before as they didn't lose anything to Sony for making their console more user friendly.

@twztid13 Sony used the "free" games to push plus during the PS3 when online play was free they didn't roll that into + until the PS4 released

@twztid13
Word, I thought about it after I commented... I really only do the daily searches like once or twice a week. I mostly do the daily questions or polls and log ins, n get an achievement everyday.

I am honestly happy top hear that Xbox came up with a way to stop people rom making multiple accounts n working the system like that... Xbox is generous enough with MS Reward Points imo.

I didntknow about the 3 month rule with the credit though... So pretty much you dont wanna turn your points in for Xbox credit until you are ready to spend it, You can save up points for as long as you want though right?

I did the math after I wrote my comment too. 2 years of XGP Ultimate is already $360 right there. I for sure have claimed over $200 in gift cards too, like $30 here and $50 there over time.

I just dont remember when I started doing the MS Rwards points... But I bet their is a way to see everything I have claimed through it now that I think about it haha. Thank You so damn much Xbox for doing MS Rewards Points, I truly appreciate it!

@dsar9012
"...and I say this as an OG xbox fan, because Phil Spencer mostly cancels and delays exclusives all the time, and never puts out decent exclusives, so if xbox fails again, like it did with xbox one, it will be a bad time to be an xbox fan."

LOOOOOL
Dude you are taking the cake for one of the funniest out of no where fan boy takes of the day.

Phil Spencer has not "canceled exclusives all of the time". What the hell are you talking about... I am guessing, Scale Bound?

Yeah he made a good decision by cutting his loses with that one and that BS studio Platinum. They took his money and made a game for someone else and just yanked his chain for a year or two.
He shoulda canceled CrackDown 3 at the same time.

I love how fanboys drop Phil's name like he is the reason (insert headline here) happened... Yes he is the big cheese at Xbox, but he is not responsible for every single decision at Xbox.
For having the second best last name in the video gamesbusiness (after Doug Bowser at Nintendo) Matt Booty should be the one getting fried a hell of a lot more than Phil should be. Phil got the money from Satiya and made the investments, Now it is up to Matty Boot to get these studios in gear and make 2022 history that never repeats it self again.

LoL calling yourself an Xbox fan then blurting out one of the worst takes I have ever seen in the comment section of any article on purexbox.com. Xbox One was a ***** gen for Xbox, and if it wasnt for Phil Xbox would be no more. I really do not count anything from that gen on Phil, The moves me made were all in attempts to un bury the brand as a whole. Xbox Series is Phil Spencer, and so far, coming off a generation as futile as the Xbox One gen... Xbox has no right to be killing it as hard as it is right now.

It has actually beat Sony in Japan multiple weeks this year, Sonys home country Japan...While having NO GAMES.

The worst thing Phil has done was be too nice. He should have paid to shred the contracts when he bought Bethesda and not honored ***** to Playstation. We would be sitting here with DeathLoop and Ghost Wire Tokyo. That was obviously not a money decision... but I am sure doing things like that has helped them pull off the largest acquisition in gaming history with Activision.

@Stoned_Patrol yes, you can save the points as long as you want, but the problem is you can't get them discounted unless you auto redeem them (they cash in every month for about 1k less points per $5 credit if you auto redeem), so you will get less credit overall if you save them. They used to go on sale every couple months & people would just save them for that but they ended the sales & started the auto redeem discount.

Btw, people still use multiple accounts, it doesn't stop that. You can have several accounts on ur Xbox & play the games from them all on every account. It just stopped people from selling the Xbox credit, or combining them all on 1 account. I do multiple accounts because i exchange for Walmart gift cards for groceries often, especially during these times where everything costs way more than it did a couple years ago. Microsoft wants to be able to claim, "x million searches were done with Bing," or something similar for advertising, so they don't mind. They actually had a family plan where u could gift points for a long time, but removed it a short while back to "work on it", because i imagine people found a way to abuse it (it was limited to 5k points per month per account, but I'm sure ppl found a way to do more). I only have 2 accounts, & 1 is my mom's, actually, i just do the searches & Xbox stuff for her, but i definitely understand MS not wanting people to have 10 accounts that all get rewarded. 2 r 3 isn't a huge issue, because that's the same as a couple family members having an account & u running them to help, IMO. I definitely appreciate MS for that, though. It saved me tons of money in games, but now on groceries, too.

@Decoy_Snake
The first thing you think about when you think about Xbox is how they "normalized" subscriptions?? Hmmmm That's weird, I think about how they got the FPS genre finally playing properly compared to how well it played on PC before Halo. Halo was the first game to give FPS proper console controls, the same ones we are all still using today for the most part.
Or how Xbox actually normalized online game play. PlayStation did have SOCOM Navy Seals first, I had it and loved it. But hey did not start making more games after that game came and went. Once Xbox live was going, Xbox made it a regular feature on most games to be able to play online... Something that you really could not see gaming not have today.
Xbox and all of the gaming indusry have migrated towards subscription service based models, Fortnite, the most popular game in the world, 100% has made service based battle passes and seasons a regular part of the game industry. It is just how gaming has evolved as of now.

PlayStation is making the subscription and live service gaming soon to be front and center as the complete main aspect of how they are going to be monetizing PS. I guess we will see how that works out for them.