PlayStation Announces Playerbase Program, Ability to Scan Fans Into PlayStation Games - News
by William D'Angelo , posted on 07 April 2026 / 3,059 Views
Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced The Playerbase program.
The program gives PlayStation fans a chance to have their likeness scanned and appear in a PlayStation game. This will start with Gran Turismo 7 with plans "to expand and include fans in additional PlayStation Studios titles in the near future."
The Playerbase will be available in select markets in the Americas, Europe, Asia, South Africa, and Australia. Those interested can submit an application here starting today.
PlayStation will review applications and select a limited number of finalists to participate in video interviews to learn about their connection to PlayStation. One fan will be selected to be featured in Gran Turismo 7 as part of The Playerbase. They will appear for a limited time as an in-game character portrait. The winner will also help design a custom Fantasy Logo and a vehicle livery which will be added permanently to the Showcase menu.
"Over time, we look forward to expanding The Playerbase as additional PlayStation Studios participate, having fans featured in ways that fit each game’s own style and world. Stay tuned for more updates," reads the PlayStation Blog.
"The Playerbase is our way of saying thank you to the players who make PlayStation what it is today. We can’t wait to meet the fans who will step into the world of PlayStation in a whole new way."
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.
More Articles
This is reeking of free IA training.
I recall something similar with PS2 and EyeToy. A few games had the ability to scan your face to input onto a character model.
That´s not similar. This isn´t involving anybody´s console hardware scanning their face, and the choice to include somebody´s likeness remains up to game art directors, not an invidividual modifying a game´s content on their own device. It´s just an open casting call for Playstation users to be scanned in the same way professional actors are scanned for games or CGI animations.
2000s called, it wants it's sports game feature back.
You know Game Boy could do this in 1998. Nintendo showed off a camera at E3 2002 for GBA that did this. (did not release) 3DS did this. I am sure some Eyetoy and Kinect stuff did as well. Here is the difference.They did not use AI and had some EULA and likely steal my identity for some GEN AI bullshit
Those were the days, when professional CGI studios used Game Boy for their character scans.
We were all doing this in THPS back in the day... twenty-some-odd years ago lol
Yup, I remember when we were all CGI scan models... The lines at SCEI graphics lab were atrocious back then, but at least this time they will be more exclusive...
People are reacting as if this is promoted as some capability of PS5 that will be mass applied to players. It´s not. It´s clearly presented as gated by application and interview process, and isn´t at all connected to actual PS5 hardware - Implicitly it will be full professional 3D scanning process. So comparing this to ¨something Game Boy could do in 1998¨ is utterly silly - Game Boy was not professional asset creation tool, and Game Boy wasn´t capable of displaying this level of assets in the first place. If you don´t want to participate you don´t need to, although some people will want to. Not really relevant to anybody else who isn´t participating, since otherwise Sony would just use regular actors´ scans for game content instead of these ¨volunteers¨.
EDIT: This is the literal wording on their site...
¨ A selected player will be invited to be scanned at one of our visual arts studios (and no, we won't make you look like Kratos or Aloy – we want you just the way you are). Your likeness will appear in a game played by millions. And you’ll never again struggle when asked for an interesting fact about yourself.¨
There isn´t even any mention of PS5. Seemingly they would be happy if somebody submits their profile and ¨story¨ with some connection to the PS1. If you want, go ahead and make your personal story about how you loved the PS2 and EyeToy, but I don´t think it matters.
