Back in the latter days of the 7th console generation, the Xbox 360 introduced the world to the concept that would take gaming by storm. Achievements would become a phenomenon that would enrapture the minds of millions of gamers. Over time, pretty much every platform has adopted the means of rewarding in-game accomplishments in some form. Steam has them, even Sony hopped on board with Trophies. Nowadays, there’s a lot less fervor over hunting them. Games still have Achievements and Trophies, and the new console generation looks to be no different. As we inch toward the launch of the PS5, something old has become something new. It looks as though Sony has borrowed some Xbox 360 ideas for the sake of PS5 trophies.
Earlier this week, Sony revealed the PS5 UI in a live stream event, leading to some interesting things being noticed. Among the various teases, was the hint of a banner or something in the Trophies element of the new UI. The reveal also teased some of the Trophies that could come to the console. Gamers can expect to earn them for both simple and difficult tasks. It looks like profile elements and other cosmetics are limited to tougher challenges though.
The announcement that the PS5 would have Trophies is no big deal, it’s the rewards that seem to be causing a splash. Sony has just announced that PS5 trophies will reward players with cosmetic items for their profiles when the accomplishment is unlocked. This is something Microsoft did in the later stages of the Xbox 360 lifecycle, trying to capitalize on the Wii’s popularity. The later iterations of the Xbox dashboard introduced Avatars, and you would unlock cosmetic items for both your Avatar and profile by completing achievements for various games.
PlayStation has not mentioned this new reward system beyond the initial reveal though, so it’s all still very up in the air. Could this mean a push toward Avatars or a Sony version of a Mii? Probably not. It looks like players will unlock banners and icons that can be placed in their PSN profile, denoting the completion of rare Trophies on the new console.