More than a decade after Sony first debuted its PlayStation Network service for the PlayStation 3, it’s finally possible to change your PlayStation Network ID. For nearly two full console generations, PlayStation owners have been stuck with whatever ridiculous name they chose for their PSN account when they created it, but after announcing the long-awaited feature last October, Sony finally added the option on Wednesday, April 10th.
That’s the good news. The bad news is that Sony can’t guarantee that the feature will work on any games other than those “originally published on or after April 1, 2018.” And even if the game is less than a year old, Sony says it can’t guarantee it will be supported, as it ran into issues with at least one recent title.
When Sony says the name change feature “isn’t supported,” it doesn’t just mean that you won’t see your new name in those games. It means that changing your PSN name could result in crucial problems, such as lost in-game currency (including premium currency you bought with real money), loss of progress, loss of trophies, and the inability to play user-created content. Some of the games with critical issues like these include Everybody’s Golf, LittleBigPlanet 3, ONRUSH, The Golf Club 2, and three of the last six MLB The Show games.
Before you even think about changing your PSN name, be sure to check Sony’s list of games with issues and make sure that you don’t plan on playing any of them again any time soon. If you decide that you’re willing to take the risk, these are the instructions for changing your PSN name on your PS4 or on PC:
PlayStation 4:
- Step 1: From your PS4 go to [Settings].
- Step 2: Select [Account Management] > [Account Information] > [Profile] > [Online ID].
- Step 3: Enter an Online ID of your choice or choose from one of the suggestions.
- Step 4: Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the change.
Web browser:
- Step 1: Sign in to your and select PSN Profile in the menu.
- Step 2: Select the Edit button that’s next to your Online ID.
- Step 3: Enter an Online ID of your choice or choose from one of the suggestions.
- Step 4: Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the change.
The first ID change is free, but Sony will charge $9.99 for each addition change (or $4.99 if you’re a PlayStation Plus subscriber). If you decide to revert back to your old ID, you can do so for free.
