Sony has subtly reintroduced the wallet funds reward for PlayStation Stars members, just a month after it oddly disappeared from the loyalty program without any word from the company. Previously, PlayStation Stars participants could use their earned points to get store credits, but now only the $5 denomination is back. The silver lining is that users can redeem this $5 reward multiple times as long as they have enough points in their account.
Since its launch in 2022, PlayStation’s loyalty initiative has faced its share of drama. This year, it unexpectedly went offline, leaving fans in the dark. It was July before it returned, along with users’ accumulated points, but the lack of communication and compensation from Sony for downtime left the community baffled and somewhat annoyed.
In the fall, the points-for-cash feature was temporarily removed, causing a stir among users who relied on it for store purchases. Though Sony has not explained the absence, it seems they might have listened to the community’s uproar. Through the PlayStation app, members can once again claim $5 wallet funds in the rewards section. While previously there were various amounts to choose from, now it’s back to just $5 per transaction, albeit redeemable repeatedly if points allow.
Whether the feature’s disappearance was accidental or a planned move by Sony reacting to user feedback remains a mystery. This isn’t their first bout of controversy. Earlier, they amended the PlayStation Stars terms of service with changes that didn’t sit well with users. One significant alteration from October 24 shortens the points’ lifespan from 24 to 12 months. Starting March 1, 2025, points won’t accumulate from PlayStation Plus subscriptions either.
PlayStation Stars has drawn comparisons to Microsoft Rewards, yet Sony’s array of unsettling changes has frustrated many of its users. For instance, on Reddit, runealex007 expressed distrust, saying they had “lost faith in this program,” while Optimal_Bottle_1479 felt compelled to “redeem as much as possible before it’s gone again.”
