By: Max Cannon
PlayStation users have been unable to change their PSN ID since the service originally launched way back in 2006, but after a brief beta period, it looks like a recent update to the network will let gamers finally change their online name. Be careful though, PlayStation warns that there may be some compatibility issues with certain games so you may want to think twice before making the change.
PlayStation Network could be going through some big changes.
The Potential Problems
PSN name changes have been a long-rumored update to Sony's service. Way back in 2017 during the PlayStation Experience show, PlayStation Executive Shawn Layden said that he'd hoped the problem would be solved within the year and though he was a few months off, it looks like it'd finally happened. There were leaks and rumors from industry insiders to suggest that this feature was in the works but nothing ever really came from it until late last year.
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Toward the end of 2018, PlayStation announced that they were kicking off a beta program that would allow users to change their names with some specific restrictions. If you change your name you could see issues with leaderboards, high scores, and compatibility with older games. To solve this issue, PlayStation revealed that any game released after April of 2018 will be guaranteed to be safe from the name change issues. This obviously won't leave very many games safe but it's a good idea to start this off sooner rather than later and several older games, including LittleBigPlanet 3, have implemented systems to protect your profile.
Name changes have been unavailable since the PS3 launched back in 2006.
Making the Change
From your PS4, diving into your settings and account management will give you the option to change your Online ID. From there you'll see your original name alongside the date it was created, you'll be able to change your name from here but it'll cost you a bit to do it. The first name change is totally free, which is nice for those players who have been long awaiting the chance to change their ID, but from that point on you'll have to pay $9.99. On top of this new feature, those rule-breakers out there will be getting far lesser punishments from PlayStation. In the past, if you had a name that violated the terms of service then PlayStaiton would have to completely erase your account, now you'll just have your name automatically changed to a random preset.
LittleBigPlanet 3 has a special workaround to deal with any errors caused by the PSN name changes.
This problem has been hanging over Sony's heads for years and the video game-giant's poor network design was responsible for this problem. Could this mean that even more big changes are on the horizon for PSN? Hopefully PlayStation completely overhauls the PlayStation Network to be an even better platform, especially with the rumored PlayStation 5 waiting just around the corner. With big changes coming to the video game industry, we'll likely see all of the big companies getting ready for what's to come.
A screenshot from the screen where you'll finally change your name.
Share Your Thoughts!
Will you be changing your PSN ID? Or are you happy with the original name you went with? Jump into the comments and share your thoughts below!
