0% APR until March 2018!
Credit cards are both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, they allow you to pay for large expenses that you may not have the current cash to handle, paying things off over time. On the other hand, they allow you to pay for large expenses that you may not have the current cash to handle, eventually bankrupting you. If they weren’t so necessary in current life, I’d completely do without them.
If you’ve somehow dodged all possible credit cards and were waiting for a themed one around your favorite console, Sony has got your back. Announced a few days ago in partnership with Capital One, you can now nab the official “PlayStation Credit Card” and start earning points on all official Sony purchases. I suppose if you’re a huge PS4 player, this card could be of benefit to you.
After getting approved for the card, your first purchase will net you a $50 PSN card. You’ll also earn five times the Sony Rewards points for purchases from the PSN store and on all purchases of Sony products through participating retailers (of which there is conveniently not a list). Along with that, you’ll earn three times the points for paying off mobile phone bills and a standard one times points on all other purchases. For those unaware, Sony Rewards is a free program that allows you to rack up points in accordance to your purchases on the PSN store, with 100 points equaling $1.
If that bland design in the header isn’t to your liking, then you can customize the card with a couple of themes based on Sony’s most popular franchises. I can’t get any pictures of those designs without going through preliminary sign-ups for the thing, but the description page shows Uncharted 3 and Killzone 2 as potential options. I wonder if Knack has any representation.
As for the interest rate, there is no annual fee. APR financing is 0% until March 2018, after which it will raise between 14.99% and 24.99%. Not the worst deal around, but still pretty bad. The card is a Visa, so if you live in an area where that isn’t accepted (basically nowhere), then just keep that in mind.
I’ve always found it odd when entertainment companies get involved in the credit game. To me, it feels like a double edged sword that is meant to provide benefit to real hardcore spenders while simultaneously hurting those that practice frugality. Why banks need to charge such exorbitant interest rates are beyond me, but if you’re completely loaded with money, I guess this card will be great.
Introducing the New PlayStation Credit Card [PlayStation Blog]