While this may seem like a way for Sony to engage its fans, the company doesn’t pay the winners anything beyond covering their accommodation and travel expenses.

If we’ve ever worried that big companies want to collect as much data on us as possible, from our personal finances and names to our addresses and descriptions of our appearance, then PlayStation’s latest community program certainly won’t put our fears to rest. Sony announced a new program called The Playerbase, which gives fans the opportunity to have their faces digitized and appear in their favorite games, starting with Gran Turismo 7. The program aims to bring a select group of dedicated PlayStation fans closer to the PlayStation experience. Successful applicants will have the opportunity to enter a game, in this case Gran Turismo 7, and appear as a character portrait in digital form for a limited time.

Sony plans to expand the program in the near future to include additional PlayStation Studios titles. Perhaps the next game will be The Last of Us, and we could be one of the infected that Joel or Ellie brutally kills during their violent journey. We could also be one of the non-player characters living in Aloy’s post-apocalyptic world in Horizon, or perhaps a new character in the multiplayer spin-off. Maybe Logan will tear us to pieces in Marvel’s Wolverine.

You can apply for the program here. Sony and PlayStation will review the applications. Those who make it to the shortlist will participate in a video interview. The final group will then be selected. Throughout the process, applicants will be asked to demonstrate their personal connection to the PlayStation Studios fan community and their commitment to the brand. This includes showing how many PlayStation products they own. Applicants must also prove their passion for Gran Turismo by showing how many hours they’ve spent playing games in the series and which trophies they’ve collected.

Then, we are invited to a visual arts studio in Los Angeles, where we are digitized into the game. With a twist characteristic of Gran Turismo, we have the chance to design our own logo and a unique vehicle for the game. The program’s FAQ clarifies that, if you are not already in the Los Angeles area and are selected, PlayStation will cover travel and accommodation costs.

Will these “lucky” fans, who aren’t protected by the regulations that SAG-AFTRA members fought for, be able to decide what happens to their likenesses in this process? Can PlayStation use these fans and their likenesses however it wants after they appear as NPCs in Gran Turismo 7 for a “limited time”?

Source: WCCFTech, PS Blog