This might be a controversial opinion, but I've never been that fussed about PlayStation Trophies. Going all the way back to the PlayStation 3 era when the achievement system was first introduced, it just never really clicked with me.
So you get a little notification to tell you you've earned an award for doing something in a game? Great. I was probably going to that thing anyway, because I purchased the game with the intention of, you know, playing it. I understand that there are Trophy Hunters out there who can't get enough of winning all the Trophies and earning the ultimate Platinum award in as many games as they can, and I salute those gamers. Play how you wanna play, of course - I just never really got why or how Trophies were considered this big incentive.
Amazingly, that could be about to change as we head into the PlayStation 5 era in just a few weeks. Trophies, once a glittering but ultimately hollow achievement, are set to get more tangible benefits on the next-gen console. While going to the great effort of earning PS4 Platinums would net you bonus themes and avatars, it looks like the PS5 will be handing out such prizes much more frequently.
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As spotted by Mp1st (via VG247), gamers noticed after watching the PS5 UI video that multiple Trophies in PS5 launch title Destruction All-Stars come tied to select rewards. The Gold Trophy 'Wreckognised', for example, earns you a unique profile avatar. The Bronze 'Rookie' Trophy gets you a profile banner.
It also looks as if we'll be able to claim these items via the console. Winning a Platinum PS4 Trophy would involve getting an email from Sony and then redeeming a code, so this new process looks to be easier in every sense.
While purists might balk at the idea of winning prizes for common Trophies and not just the hard-to-get Platinums, I've no doubt the rarest rewards will still be hidden behind the most demanding Trophies.
Of course, all of this is based on evidence from just one game. It could be that Destruction All-Stars is an outlier, but that seems fairly unlikely. I'd imagine Sony has made the decision to offer these little cosmetic rewards more frequently as a means to get more players actively involved in Trophy hunting. If I'm being honest, I can definitely see that tactic working on me.
Featured Image Credit: SonyTopics: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4