PlayStation Stars: Are These Digital Collectibles NFTs?

Sony’s September State of Play might not have been the PlayStation Showcase many were expecting, but that didn’t stop the publisher from showing off a diverse roster of games. Between debuts for titles like Rise of the Ronin, and trailers for God of War: Ragnarok, it’s fair to say there was plenty for viewers to savor. Among all the videos, though, Sony also managed to find time to talk about one of its upcoming initiatives: PlayStation Stars.

Having been announced earlier this year, players have been expecting an update on PlayStation Stars for some time now. Aside from a few interviews and press releases, little has been shared by Sony in regard to what the reward initiative will look like. Thanks to the recent State of Play, that has now started to change, though these revelations have prompted some to compare the concept to NFTs.

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What are NFTs

Before it’s possible to look at PlayStation Stars and whether Sony’s initiative can be viewed as a platform for NFTs, an examination of what the latter actually are is necessary first. Although the idea has spread across the internet over the last few years, the concept behind them remains a complex and highly polarizing one. In simple terms however, NFTs are one of the latest forms of digital cryptocurrency.

What makes these ‘Non-fungible tokens’ unique from other forms of cryptocurrency is the fact that each is also simultaneously a piece of digital art. Although each exists on a blockchain just like most forms of crypto, every NFT is unique and cannot be replicated. Crucially, people often purchase them for large sums of money before using them to buy and trade for other goods. It’s also worth mentioning that, thanks to the fact that NFTs are pieces of art, some people use them on social media platforms to reflect their identity.

Considering the amount of money that NFTs have generated in a short amount of time, it’s little surprise that more industries have adopted the concept too. As a result, there’s already a wide selection of gaming NFTs out there. While companies like Square Enix have outlined their plans to sell crypto art in the future, others like Konami and Ubisoft have already launched their own initiatives. Earlier this year, for example, the latter finished selling a raft of NFT ‘Digits’ to players from within Ghost Recon Breakpoint.

PlayStation Stars’ Collectibles

At just a first glance, it’s easy to see why people have compared PlayStation Stars to the gaming NFTs that other publishers have launched. From a simple design perspective, the digital collectibles share a lot in common with the cryptocurrency. From what has been shared so far, each could be described as a piece of digital art that reflects a part of Sony and PlayStation’s past. Some have pointed out that the Ape Escape collectible that was shown even…