It looks like the PlayStation Stars reward scheme has an elusive 'Diamond' tier that's invite-only, according to a datamine of the system.
The PlayStation Stars reward scheme comes to PS5 this month in the West, offering goodies like digital collectibles to players who complete challenges across some of the best PS5 games. It was known that the reward scheme would feature four tiers of escalating value, but details of a datamine of the PlayStation mobile app show there could be a secret fifth.
The datamine posted to Reddit features text referring to a 'Diamond' PlayStation Stars tier, and its requirements for entry read 'Invite only to Diamond Level.' This could imply that Sony handpicks the Diamond tier's members, but more specific criteria for getting invited remain unknown.
Also, according to the datamined info, those blessed with entry to the Diamond tier will instantly receive a unique digital figure titled 'Level 5 Diorama - Bots Don't Breathe.' The collectible is based on Team Asobi's Astro Bot series, and a graphic for it has been featured on PlayStation's official site.
So who gets into Tier 5?
The PlayStation Stars landing page only details four tiers of rewards, which players will progress through as they continue to complete challenges. There's no mention of a fifth Diamond tier whatsoever. So my first guess on how to access it would be to continue to complete challenges in Tier 4, perhaps to an absurd enough degree for PlayStation to notice.
That might entail earning a certain number of Platinum trophies, being subscribed to PS Plus for a given number of months, or maybe even other avenues of promotion like buying the upcoming DualSense Edge or PSVR 2. That's pure speculation on my part, but offering a path to exclusive rewards through purchasing hardware might be an effective way for Sony to shift a few units.
Another possibility (and one that I sincerely hope doesn't come to pass) is that the Diamond tier might be exclusive to influencers or content creators. But I really can't see the purpose of this. Some influencers will get bragging rights, sure, but unless these creators can hand out invites to regular players, there's absolutely nothing to gain.
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Hopefully, we won't have to wait much longer to find out what this Diamond tier includes, who can get in, and if it'll even exist at all.
Rhys is TRG's Hardware Editor, and has been part of the TechRadar team for more than two years. Particularly passionate about high-quality third-party controllers and headsets, as well as the latest and greatest in fight sticks and VR, Rhys strives to provide easy-to-read, informative coverage on gaming hardware of all kinds. As for the games themselves, Rhys is especially keen on fighting and racing games, as well as soulslikes and RPGs.