Customer loyalty is key for gaming companies these days. Although Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo make a nice pocket money when you buy a console from them, the biggest money is in services and games. Get an annual subscription PlayStation Plus Premium from Nintendo Switch Online, so soon there will be a lot more profits in the drawer. Much less if you have a release day first party game from the online store.
Companies therefore do everything they can to keep customers happy and to keep you loyal year after year. All kinds of tricks are used for this, which users can really take advantage of. For example, you can save money if you are a little lucky with the free games added to PlayStation Plus or the Xbox Game Pass. Other times there are just “hooks” which are much less tempting to roll up a fish.
A new loyalty program
The latter is now the case with Sony’s latest addition: PlayStation Stars. In design, the loyalty program looks very attractive and represents a nice bonus. Gamers can use digital collectibles collect, score points e level to go up. The points in particular will sound like music to users’ ears, as they will not only help you with others collectibles can buy, but can also get PlayStation Store credit.
While there’s nothing wrong with the idea, there’s just a lot wrong with the execution that Sony has opted for. In practice, there isn’t much left of it. The points system in particular needs a drastic rebalancing at this time.
What’s wrong with PlayStation Stars?
In the US, PlayStation Stars was launched earlier than in the Netherlands, so the calculations have already been done by other players. It turns out you get ten points for every dollar spent in the PlayStation Store, which will likely be ten points per euro in the Netherlands.
It certainly doesn’t sound bad, but it does if you look at how many points you need to get credit. For a game of 80 euros – the price for a new one first party game in the PlayStation Store – so you get 800 points. But for a fairly new game like The Quarry you have lost no less than 17,500 points. In effect, this means that you have to spend € 1750 to get a free game. As you get up level you should get more points per euro spent, but the ratio is still dramatic.
If Sony wants to make PlayStation Stars a serious program, something needs to change quickly. If not, the program will quickly become the laughing stock of the gaming industry. Even Nintendo gamers now enjoy the star system more and that says it all.
And then we haven’t even mentioned the advantages of the highest level. At level 4, which you unlock after purchasing four games from PlayStation Store and earning 128 rare trophies, you gain priority access to the helpdesk. Sony has rightly received a lot of criticism in this regard and it is indeed outrageous that the same “feature” has made its appearance in the Netherlands. Access to the help desk shouldn’t depend on the size of your wallet and the amount of free time. Shame on you, Sony!
