From December 1, PlayStation gamers will be able to compete against other players in ladder tournaments for clout and prizes. Called the “Win-A-Thon,” the ladder tournaments for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 run from December 1st to January 31st and can be entered via the Events page on each console.
Sony seems to intentionally make it easy to use this feature, giving it some attention on the home screen. After all, new features don’t mean much if you can’t find them (RIP Braces).
The ladder and the overall ranking are separated by the region you play in, with the ranking determined by the total number of wins and ladder placement for a specific tournament in the sports or fighting game categories. The tournaments take place at different times and contain different games to involve as many players as possible.
The PlayStation 5 Win-A-Thon only supports three games for its tournament (FIFA23, Guilty Gear Pursuitand NBA 2K23), but entrants on the PlayStation 4 have more titles to compete with, including Mortal Kombat 11, Street Fighter V, Tekken 7, and more. For a full overview of the rules, prizes and games you can participate in, please read the fine print of the Playstation 4 and PlayStation5.
All you need to enter is a console and an active PlayStation Plus membership. In addition, there is no cost to participate, so technically you have nothing to lose except your pride. But if you’re interested in possibly getting skilled, you can still win some decent loot.
Players who compete on the PlayStation 5 have the chance to win prizes such as a DualSense Edge Wireless Controller or Pulse 3D wireless headset. However, the real draw here seems to be the prize pool for PlayStation 4 players, with the top four entrants earning a PlayStation 5. Some of the runner-up prizes include cash, premium in-game currency, and digital “non-NFTs” for entry. The prize pool may also vary based on your region or the game you’re participating in, but you can Playstation 4 and PlayStation5 rankings for more information.
Sony had its first tournament on console back in 2016 and it’s unclear if we’ll see more events like this in the future. For now, though, this looks like an interesting distraction, if only to see how you stack up against higher caliber players.
