What PS3 Trophies Do

People new to the "gaming scene" often wonder about their gamer score.  Questions like "what can I do with it?", "Does it unlock stuff?", and "How do I get more?" are frequently asked by friends and in forums.  To clear up all this confusion, I'll tell you exactly what the in-game trophies award you, as well as what they don't.
For those of you who don't know, trophies are awarded upon completion of pre-designated feats or parts of the game, such as beating a boss and finishing a level.  These trophies are used to keep players playing, giving them an incentive to experience everything the game has to offer, and also share it with their friends. I often use the unlockable trophies to get a notion of what the game is in terms of plot, openness, and abilities.


Now that we know what the basic principle is behind gamer score, we can go into what you can do with all those trophies that you have unlocked.  The most prevalent misconception that I have come across in regards to gamer score is that you can use it to buy things.  Gamer score is nothing more than points that track your progress/completion of games.  As a general rule, the more gamer score you have, the more seasoned you are as a gamer.  Of course, there is the occasional exception where you will find a gamer score "guru" who must have more money than he knows what to do with as his profile sits on a game library populated with a couple hundred titles.  But I digress, gamer score cannot be used to purchase anything, not yet anyway, although you are able to use it as bragging rights or a badge displaying your gaming expertise.  Despite not being able to purchase anything with your trophies, it is possible to unlock items, DLC, or secret codes/missions with your gamer score.  One example is relatively new program run by Ubisoft that allows you to trade in Ubi points, given to you by unlocking trophies, for exclusive content such as missions and outfits.  Another instance of said situation, although only available to Xbox 360 owners, is the availability of the Hyabusa sword in Halo 3 matchmaking by unlocking achievements equaling 1000 gamer score, or more, in the title.  So earning gamer score isn't a total waste, but the thought of unlocking content won't be the driving force behind your trophy unlocks.  Trophies weren't created for micro transactions in the first place, being geared more for friendly competition than anything else.  Regardless, trophies, and gamer score for that matter, are constantly being fixed and tweaked to provide a more engaging gaming experience for all.

To sum it all up, trophies won't get you much when it comes to purchasing add-ons and other DLC, but it will provide a more enjoyable gaming experience and much-sought-after bragging rights.