PlayStation gamers share essential tip for easy free store credit

PlayStation gamers are sharing one essential tip for grabbing free store credit that all users should probably sit up and take notice of. After all, spending nothing on a game is much better than spending something on a game. That's just basic math.

As you may or may not be aware, PlayStation rolled out a new feature last year that effectively enables players to gather up points which can then be spent on free video games. Much like a squirrel gathers acorns for the cold winter months, so too must you collect these points to spend on games when you're strapped for cash.

Take a look at our preview of the upcoming PlayStation 5 adventure Marvel's Spider-Man 2 below!

The new feature is called PlayStation Stars, and it's basically a loyalty program that allows players to earn points by completing certain activities. These activities range from earning trophies and winning tournaments to simply checking in to play a game. While most of the rewards are naff intangible guff like digital collectibles, it's possible to save up Star Points and use them to get money off games.

However, as the good folk of Reddit have observed, there is a knack to this. Essentially, you always want to use your Star Points to grab store credit, rather than use them to buy the game directly.

One Reddit user quickly did the math, using 2023's excellent indie horror/fishing sim Dredge as the example.

"Dredge is 6250 points, equivalent to £25," they wrote. "5000 points nets you a £20 store credit. Dredge on the store is £19.99 normally, but currently £15.99 on offer. Even when it's not on offer, the points conversion still favours grabbing the store credit over the game directly. So basically a quick PSA to say always do the math when it comes to the points rewards from PlayStation Stars."

Another user wisely adds: "Always redeem for store credit. Game pricing always fluctuates, star points don’t."

So there you have it: the best way to use your points to ensure you're getting the most bang for your free credit.