How to Complete the PlayStation Stars “Hit Play/1994” Campaign

Over the past couple of weeks, Sony has been rolling out its new “PlayStation Stars” loyalty program. The new service is free to join, and awards dedicated PlayStation users with limited-edition digital collectibles (which Sony has reassured are absolutely NOT NFTs), as well as points that can be redeemed for said digital collectibles, games, or digital wallet funds.

A fun aspect of the program are the rotating “campaigns,” which task users with completing certain tasks to earn an elusive reward. One such mission is very straightforward: the “October Check-In” campaign tasks users to simply play a PS4 or PS5 game, and in return they can snag a digital statue of the T-Rex from the original PlayStation’s tech demo. Other campaigns however are much more vague in their descriptions, such as the current “Hit Play/1994” mission. That’s where I come in to help. If this challenge has you stumped, read on as I walk you through how to claim your collectible prize!

Step 1: Sign Up for PlayStation Stars

This may sound obvious, but well… you’ll be surprised.

Before attempting to earn rewards through PlayStation Stars, you’ll need to actually sign up for the program. To do so, first create a PlayStation Network account if you haven’t done so. Then, download the PlayStation App on your iOs or Android devices. Yes, unfortunately you cannot register with PlayStation Stars via the website or your PlayStation consoles. Once downloaded, login to the app using the PSN account, then click the glowing orb in the top center of the screen. From here, you’ll be prompted to sign up for the PlayStation Stars program!

Step 2: Register for the “Hit Play/1994” Campaign

Now, once you’ve signed up for PlayStation Stars, scroll down through the list of campaign’s to find the “Hit Play/1994” mission. After clicking on it, you’ll be given the opportunity to register for the campaign, allowing you to start crossing off your objectives!

Step 3: Simply Launch the Listed Games

The “Hit Play/1994” campaign is rather simple–especially if you have a PlayStation Plus Extra membership–but it’s description is more than a bit vague. The challenge tasks you with launching a game that corresponds with a listed song that debuted in 1994. None of these songs are very explicit (what, there were no songs called “God of War” that released in 1994?), but some inquisitive gamers may be able to guess the game’s based on the clues.

For those who are terrible at guessing, below are the answers. Simply boot up the game, and once you arrive at the title screen or its equivalent, your accomplishment should be noted!

Stay X Circle of Life = Returnal
Baby I Love Your Way x Go West = Death Stranding: Director’s Cut
Mr. Jones x Regulate = Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
More Human Than Human = Detroit: Become Human
Wild Night = Until Dawn
Streets of Philadelphia = Heavy Rain

As previously stated, this task is made even easier if you have a PlayStation Plus Extra membership, as all of these games can either be streamed or downloaded at no extra cost.

A few caveats, however: first, the original Death Stranding doesn’t seem to be sufficient, it has to be the Director’s Cut edition. Secondly, if you are using PlayStation Plus Extra, Heavy Rain is actually listed in the “Classics Catalog” despite it being the PS4 remaster of the 2010 PS3 title.

Step 4 (May Not Be Necessary): Sync Your PlayStation Activity

Some people have reported their progress not being recorded even after launching all of the games. Not to worry. First, I recommend refreshing the PlayStation App on your phone, and seeing if that doesn’t populate the campaign achievements. Secondly, I would close out of the app completely and log back in, and then see if that fixes the issue.

If you are still having problems, it may be with the synching of your PlayStation console with your app. To help solve this issue, go into the “Settings” of your PS4 or PS5, and scroll down to “Saved Data and Game/App Settings.” From there, go to “Game Status,” then “Synch with PlayStation Network.” Now all of your console activity should be recorded correctly on your app!

Step 5: Profit!

With that all said and done, you should now be able to log back into the PlayStation App, go to the campaign, and claim your prize: a digital replica of the 1982 Sony Chord Machine. Not too shabby!

Did this guide aid you in solving this first of (hopefully) many PlayStation Stars campaign? If so, please let us know in the comment section down below, and on our social media platforms!

Image Source: Twinfinite

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