PlayStation quietly makes major change to how we claim free store credit

Sony is making big changes to its PlayStation Stars rewards scheme and I doubt very much, these changes will be welcomed by the video game community.

The PlayStation Stars rewards scheme was launched in 2022 and at the time, it was exciting news. After signing up for PS Stars and downloading the free PlayStation mobile app, gamers could earn reward points to be spent on digital collectables, select video games (which includes AAA and indies) and store credit to spend how they please.

Check out the PlayStation Stars trailer below!

To earn points, all you had to do was buy any game or DLC from the PlayStation Store or pick up a PS Plus subscription. However, with the PS mobile app, you can pick up extra points and collectables by completing campaigns often related to new PS Plus offerings or by acquiring certain in-game trophies.

All in all, it was a win-win system for PlayStation gamers because they were getting easy freebies for playing video games. Unfortunately, PS Stars is about to be nerfed by making it more difficult to earn points and gamers will have to spend whatever points they’ve accumulated before Sony deletes them.

This morning, I, like millions of other PlayStation Stars members, received an email from Sony detailing the upcoming changes to its rewards scheme. There are two major changes that gamers must take note of.

Firstly, starting from 24 October 2024, any points earned on or after this date will expire within 12 months. Previously, we were able to keep hold of our points for 24 months, giving us more time to save up for something we genuinely wanted to purchase via the PS Store, but now, that period has been reduced to half at just 12 months. After which, unspent points will be deleted.

Secondly, as of 1 March 2025, you will not be able to earn points by purchasing or renewing a PlayStation Plus subscription. For example last year, I picked up a couple of 12-month PS Plus subscriptions in the Days of Play sale and in the process, I was rewarded with a decent amount of reward points.

These changes will no doubt anger many fans who before now, felt aggrieved that the PlayStation Stars rewards have become more stingy over time. Compared to its first year, I had accumulated enough points to purchase a £20 gift card but now it feels like it's taking me a lot longer to earn the same amount of points.

Hopefully, many of us will manage to earn enough points to claim free £20 or £5 store credit before Sony implements its latest changes to PlayStation Stars. If not, when it comes to the deadline, it might be worth spending what points you have on digital collectables rather than losing them for nothing.

“We look forward to your continued PlayStation Stars membership,” concludes the email from Sony. “Thank you for being a PlayStation Stars member.”