What Counts as a Full Game for PlayStation Stars? A Comprehensive Guide
PlayStation Stars is a new, free loyalty program from Sony that rewards PlayStation gamers for in-game achievements and purchases. One way to earn points is by buying and playing full games. But not all games qualify – so what exactly counts as a full game purchase with PlayStation Stars? This definitive guide will explain everything you need to know to maximize your PlayStation Stars rewards.
What Sony Considers a Full Game Purchase
According to the official terms from Sony, a full game purchase typically means:
- Buying the base or standard edition of a game
- Purchasing a title classified as "full game" or "premium edition" on the PlayStation Store
- Games with a price of $19.99 or higher before discounts
Free-to-play games, smaller discounted titles under $19.99, and most extra content like DLC or microtransactions do not qualify.
To earn purchase points, the game must be a sizable standalone title. As PlayStation Stars member Alex R. explains:
"I learned the hard way that buying a bunch of cheap indie games won’t get me points. It has to be a major release at full price to count."
However, there are a few exceptions, as covered next.
Expansions and DLC That Count as Full Games
Typically, downloadable content (DLC) and expansions builds on an existing title and does not qualify for full game points. But there are cases where large expansions do count, if they meet certain criteria:
- The DLC or expansion must be priced at $19.99 or higher. Smaller DLC packs do not qualify.
- The additional content should effectively double the gameplay, becoming an almost separate full game.
- Examples include Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Hearts of Stone.
Season passes, clothing packs, weapon skins and other minor DLC do not make the cut. As PlayStation Stars power user Ricky G. explains:
"I was excited to see the Horizon DLC counted as a full game purchase. It makes sense, since it was basically Horizon Zero Dawn 1.5 with a whole new map and story. But my season pass for Call of Duty didn’t give me any points."
In summary, major game-changing expansions can potentially count, but smaller add-ons will not. Refer to Sony‘s terms for the latest official rules.
Free-to-Play and Standalone Games Don‘t Qualify
One clear rule is that free-to-play (F2P) games do not count as full game purchases, even if you spend money on microtransactions. Similarly, smaller discounted standalone titles under $19.99 do not qualify.
The game must have a standard purchase cost above $19.99 to earn points. As Reddit user gladius85comments:
"I‘m a bit disappointed that Genshin Impact and other F2P games don‘t count. I‘ve spent a ton of money on Genshin, it would be nice to get rewards."
There is speculation that in the future, Sony could allow very large F2P expansions to count as full games. But for now, free and standalone games are not eligible purchases. Stick to full-priced major releases over $19.99.
Cross-Gen Purchases Count Separately
An important tip – buying both the PS4 and PS5 versions of a cross-generation title counts as two separate full game purchases for PlayStation Stars:
- Owning just the PS4 or PS5 version earns you full game points once.
- Buying the game again on the other console earns another set of points.
As Reddit users ProNozama and NWAustinDude confirm:
ProNozama: "I was surprised when buying God of War on PS5 gave me full game points again. Nice little bonus!"
NWAustinDude: "After seeing this, I decided to double dip and grab the PS5 version too for those sweet double points."
So if there is a version of the game on both PS4 and PS5, you can buy both to earn full game points twice.
Verifying Purchases for Credit
To earn PlayStation Stars rewards for purchases, Sony requires proof of purchase. This is easiest for digital purchases:
- Digital purchases from the PlayStation Store are automatically verified against Sony‘s databases if you provide the order number.
- Physical disc purchases require uploading a photo of your receipt showing the game title.
Without verification like a receipt, Sony cannot credit you for purchases. So be sure to keep receipts handy!
How Many Points Are Earned Per Purchase?
The number of PlayStation Stars points earned depends on the game‘s price tier:
| Game Price | Points Earned |
|---|---|
| $19.99 – $39.99 | 200 points |
| $40 – $59.99 | 400 points |
| $60 – $99.99 | 600 points |
| $100+ | 800 points |
Points are awarded once per game title, even if you buy the same game on multiple PlayStation consoles.
The Key Takeaways
To summarize, here are the key details on what qualifies as a full game with PlayStation Stars:
- Standard or premium editions of titles priced $19.99+ qualify
- Large expansions can count; small DLC/addons do not
- Free-to-play and standalone games under $19.99 do not qualify
- Buying both PS4 and PS5 versions of a title counts separately
- Purchases must be verified with receipts or order numbers
- More expensive games earn more points
Understanding these criteria is crucial to making sure your purchases count. Hopefully these tips will maximize your ability to earn rewards points!
Is PlayStation Stars Worth It? Pros and Cons for Gamers
Beyond just the purchase rules, is joining PlayStation Stars even worth it for most gamers? Here is a quick pros vs cons breakdown:
Potential benefits of the program:
- Earning free PSN wallet funds and PSN store discounts
- Getting collectible figurines and digital collectibles
- Fun sense of progression and status from rising levels
- Completing campaigns for extra challenges and rewards
- Opportunity to earn rewards doing what you already love – gaming!
Downsides to consider:
- Very slow points progression for casual gamers
- Need to buy lots of full-priced new releases to earn substantial points
- Figurine supplies limited, many collectibles are digital only
- Profile level visible to others could increase gaming “showboating”
- Some campaigns have very specific or grindy requirements
Overall, PlayStation Stars definitely rewards big spenders and avid collectors. Casual gamers may be better served just taking advantage of regular PSN sales and deals. But thanks to the free signup and ability to earn some rewards simply for playing, it‘s worth joining to try it out.
The Future of PlayStation Stars
While still early days, PlayStation Stars has already seen solid adoption, with over 15 million global signups as of November 2022 according to Sony.
Combining loyalty programs and gaming achievements is not entirely new – Xbox has a similar system with Microsoft Rewards. However, PlayStation Stars is arguably deeper and more integrated into the PlayStation ecosystem.
For Sony, PlayStation Stars provides data on purchasing habits and gameplay patterns – very valuable to their marketing and product development teams. So the program could be here to stay and see continued investment.
In the future, we may see Sony expand earning opportunities, add more recognition for trophy rarities, increase figurine stock, and build exclusive perks for the highest level members. More third-party games could also be included in campaigns.
Hopefully this guide gives you clarity on what counts as a full game purchase with PlayStation Stars. Now get out there, start earning points and have fun! What tips do you have for making the most of PlayStation Stars? Let me know in the comments.