The new PS Stars update has resulted in Sony Interactive Entertainment quietly removing cheaper PSN wallet credit options.
After the recent PS Stars update (via), some members can no longer access the cheaper PSN wallet fund option. In other words, they can no longer redeem 1,250 reward points for 5 US Dollars in PSN wallet credit. Instead, they now have the only option of redeeming 3,000 reward points for 10 US Dollars. Meanwhile, other members have completely lost the option to redeem reward points for PSN wallet credit.
The update will come as a major setback for those who were gradually accumulating PS Stars reward points in order to be able to redeem them for store credit to use for a future purchase. As of writing, it’s unclear whether this is a bug or a technical issue of sort. The reward program is known for its past technical issues. Just a few months earlier, it faced a major outage, and previously earned reward points were no longer accessible for redemption until the service went back up. For some users, the PlayStation Stars icon on the PS App for mobile devices had completely disappeared, while those who did see the icon received a sign up message upon interacting with it.
While the option to redeem reward points for PSN wallet funds is a notable setback in itself, Sony Interactive Entertainment has also been making it more difficult to earn points in the first place. In a recent email sent out to PS Stars members, Sony Interactive Entertainment informed that it had updated the reward program’s Terms of Service. Starting today, on October 24, 2024, members must accept the updated PlayStation Stars Terms of Service in order to become or remain a PlayStation Stars member. As per the revised policy, reward points earned will expire at the end of the month plus 12 months from the date on which they appear in your PlayStation Stars account balance. Furthermore, from March 1, 2025, the definition of eligible purchases for PlayStation Stars reward points will be updated to exclude all subscription payments, made on PlayStation Store.
