Since the system’s inception, PlayStation Trophies have been kept to four tiers. While new leveling systems have been introduced, and the visual designs for each rarity have been changed, Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum have remained the four Trophy types. Though there is nothing wrong with keeping things limited to these four rarities, they do not account for a specific problem.
When thinking about what a Trophy type that is rarer than Platinum could look like, Palladium comes to mind, as it is the most expensive of the four precious metals. With its real world inspiration being rarer than PlayStation’s current top tier Trophy, it could be a perfect fit, looking like a far shinier and more grand silver Trophy. The requirements for unlocking it would be quite simple - reaching 100% completion on a game with DLC Trophies.
How a New Trophy Rarity Could Work
For games that are constantly updated like Minecraft, it is not too uncommon for extra Trophy packs to expand upon the existing lists. While this does not prevent players from earning the Platinum, as only the original list needs to be finished, it does lower the total percentage below 100% and forces players to collect the new Trophies to raise that number.
Having under 100% completion for a Platinumed game can be a bit frustrating for Trophy hunters. While one solution would be to make additional Trophies add on beyond 100%, letting players reach 105%, 110%, and so on, making them more interesting to go for could also work wonders. Some may be bummed to see their number dip below 100% for a finished game, but DLC Trophies are rarely worth going for unless the player loves the game. A new rarity that rewards players for collecting these Trophies could incentivize them to make the effort.
Palladium Trophies could be unlocked for reaching 100% on a PlayStation game that has extra Trophies, which would take some doing in things like Overwatch 2 or Minecraft that have several additional packs to work through. This way, players could not only get a Platinum Trophy for completing the main list, but they could obtain a Palladium Trophy for going the extra mile and sticking with the game to clear its bonus achievements. With big first party exclusives for PlayStation often getting new Trophies when they add New Game Plus modes or extra difficulties, some Palladiums could take time to earn.
One concern with Palladium Trophies is that they would not be permanent until a game stops getting more Trophy list additions. If a player gets one of these hypothetical Palladium Trophies, and a game like Overwatch 2 gets another hero with more achievements to collect, the Palladium Trophy would briefly disappear from a player’s collection until the new achievements are obtained. While this could be annoying for some, and continues to show the issue with post-launch Trophies, it would make certain Palladium Trophies extra valuable since gamers would have to remain dedicated to maintaining them. As for positioning, Paladium Trophies would be placed in front of Platinums on the lineup, as they require the Platinum to be unlocked and additional Trophies to be earned on top of that.
While this would undoubtedly take some work on Sony’s end, as it would have to add Palladium Trophies to players’ accounts for games where they already have 100% on the main list and DLC, it could be a worthwhile addition. Palladium Trophies could also open the door to fresh PlayStation Stars objectives, which would be a nice bonus. With post-launch Trophies unlikely to go anywhere, and some PlayStation users being happy whenever they are introduced, improving them through their own Trophy rarity is an idea worth considering.
