PlayStation has launched a new community program called “The Playerbase,” giving fans a chance to be scanned into PlayStation Studios games.
The initiative begins with Gran Turismo 7, and PlayStation says more first-party titles will be added later.
Applications opened on April 7 through PlayStation’s “The Playerbase” page. According to the announcement and official rules, the program is available in select markets across the Americas, Europe, Asia, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, and entrants must sign in with a PlayStation account and submit a written response explaining how PlayStation has impacted their life. The contest period runs through April 26.
For the first phase, PlayStation will choose one winner to appear in Gran Turismo 7 as a limited-time in-game character portrait. That winner will also work on a custom Fantasy Logo and a vehicle livery that PlayStation says will be added permanently to the game’s Showcase menu. As part of the process, the selected fan will be invited to PlayStation Studios Visual Arts in Los Angeles for a scanning session and design collaboration. Travel and hotel support are included for most regions under the official rules.
In the first round, entries are judged on the written submission and on account-linked engagement that includes ownership of PlayStation products, subscriptions, games played, hours played, and trophy activity. For the Gran Turismo 7 portion specifically, the rules also say judges will consider engagement with Polyphony Digital titles, including ownership, playtime, and trophies. Around 50 to 150 entries will move to video interviews, then three finalists will advance to a final round before a winner is chosen.
The grand prize winner is expected to be announced on or around November 2026 on the contest website.
Gran Turismo 7 is the perfect game to start the initiative with, as there are already lots of virtual drivers whose names are used as the opponents. Adding someone real into the mix while rewarding diehard PlayStation fans is a no-brainer move on Sony’s part.
As of now, the company hasn’t announced which games are set to follow or how they will add more players to their games.
