Sony Shutting Down Rewards Program

Highlights

Sony Rewards program is ending on December 31, 2024.
Users have until December 31 to redeem any remaining points, with bonus points requests accepted until July 21.
Sony could be refocusing efforts on the PlayStation Stars loyalty program, currently offline since early June, causing frustration.

Sony has announced that its long-running Rewards program will come to an end on December 31, 2024. First introduced in 2017 via the branded Sony and PlayStation credit cards, the Sony Rewards system allowed members to rack up points for purchases from the company’s online storefront, which could then be redeemed for game discounts, gift cards, ancillary items, and so on.

Much like reward schemes from other companies, Sony Rewards grants a point for approximately one unit of supported currency spent, such as one dollar equating to one point. Members also had the option to apply for a Sony-branded credit card that accrued points from other eligible transactions. Back in 2021, Sony made a major change to the Rewards program, wherein it only allowed Sony or PlayStation credit card holders to earn points from purchases. The move was met with some criticism, and now, Sony is doing away with Rewards entirely.

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An updated FAQ page on the official Sony Rewards website confirms that the company will be winding down operations for the Rewards website and mobile application on December 31, 2024. Members of the program have until then to redeem any leftover points and access their accounts, after which they will expire. Additionally, users can also submit bonus points and purchase credit request forms through the Sony Rewards app, but this can only be done up until July 21. Due to their similarities in nature, some may conflate Sony Rewards with 2022’s PlayStation Stars loyalty program, but the latter is separate and will remain active.

When Will Sony Rewards Come to an End?

However, PlayStation Stars has been having major issues for some time now, as the service has been down since the beginning of PlayStation’s Days of Play promotional period in early June. Sony has acknowledged the situation and claims to be actively working on rectifying the problem, but over two weeks later, PlayStation Stars has yet to go online again. Users still can’t acquire new points or collectibles, which has been irksome for those who made several PlayStation Store purchases during Days of Play. PlayStation’s customer support has reportedly reassured users that their points won’t be lost, but many are still skeptical.

The closure of Sony Rewards may be disappointing to some of its users, but considering the scheme hasn’t seen much improvement in recent years, the company may have made the decision to focus entirely on PlayStation Stars as its de facto loyalty program instead. With the service being down for over half a month, however, pressure mounts upon Sony to get it back online and allow members to cash in on PlayStation Stars’ June rewards.