PlayStation Stars, a unique program by Sony for PlayStation 5 users, allows players to earn coins to purchase games on PSN and collect virtual figurines within the PlayStation app. However, the program has been experiencing technical issues since the beginning of June.
For those unfamiliar with PlayStation Stars, it was introduced in 2022 as an upgrade to PlayStation Rewards. Players could earn coins by buying games or completing specific challenges, which would then allow them to acquire custom collectibles. These virtual figurines ranged from nostalgic items to branded collaborations like Spider-Man Adidas. Despite the technical problems, it was a great way for players to earn rewards.
The first signs of trouble appeared on June 6 when users were unable to access PlayStation Stars through the PlayStation mobile app. Instead, they were greeted with an error message stating that the program was experiencing issues and that engineers were working on a solution. This was particularly inconvenient as Sony was running promotions tied to PlayStation Stars during the mid-year Play Days sale event.
As days went by, the program remained inaccessible, surpassing the duration of the infamous PSN outage in 2011. While PlayStation Support assured users that points and collectibles were still being accumulated, players were unable to view or track their progress. Despite being a smaller-scale issue compared to past outages, the lack of communication from Sony left users puzzled.
Fast forward to July, and PlayStation Stars is slowly making a comeback in various countries and regions. Sony announced a phased regional rollout to restore the service, thanking users for their patience. However, the company has not disclosed the cause of the initial problem or the specific solution that was implemented.
In the U.S., PlayStation Stars is finally back online after over a month of downtime. Players can once again check their point totals and virtual collections, although some are reporting discrepancies in their points. The lingering questions about the outage and the delays in fixing the program remain unanswered.
As players eagerly return to earning rewards and collecting virtual items through PlayStation Stars, it remains to be seen if Sony will address the issues faced by users during the downtime and offer any compensatory measures.
