PS5's accolade system is getting axed as not enough players used it

The accolades system on PS5 wasn't as popular as Sony hoped and will soon be no more.

Accolades were introduced as a way for PS5 players to acknowledge each other's contribution in a multiplayer match. You can award your fellow players badges such as Helpful, Welcoming, and Good Sport, depending on your experience playing with them. Any virtual kudos you receive is displayed on your PSN profile, indicating to others that you're a force for good in online games. But this won't be the case for much longer as the feature will soon get axed.

The company hasn't given an exact date, but a post on the official PlayStation website indicates that it's scheduled for removal sometime in Fall 2022. As for why, well, it appears that the system hasn't been as readily adopted as Sony had hoped. "The feature hasn't seen the level of usage we anticipated, so we are refocusing our efforts," the company says.

Even though you will no longer be able to send your fellow players accolades in recognition of their efforts, Sony hopes that players will continue to create a warm and friendly gaming environment. "We encourage the community to continue to send positive messages to one another."

Once the feature is removed, you will no longer be able to send or receive accolades, and the ones you've already acquired will likely be gone too. Still, if there's a PlayStation pal that you've yet to show your appreciation for, why not do so while you still can.

PlayStation fans might be losing one feature, but there's another on the way. Last month the company announced PlayStation Stars, a new loyalty program where players can earn points to spend on PlayStation Store funds and products, as well as a new type of reward called "digital collectables."

See what exciting titles are making their way to Sony's shiny new-gen console with our guide to upcoming PS5 games.

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Originally from Ireland, I moved to the UK in 2014 to pursue a Games Journalism and PR degree at Staffordshire University. Following that, I've freelanced for GamesMaster, Games TM, Official PlayStation Magazine and, more recently, Play and GamesRadar+. My love of gaming sprang from successfully defeating that first Goomba in Super Mario Bros on the NES. These days, PlayStation is my jam. When not gaming or writing, I can usually be found scouring the internet for anything Tomb Raider related to add to my out of control memorabilia collection.