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Sony Exec Hints That We'll Be Able To Change PSN Names Within The Year

Today at PSX, PS4 boss responds to the often asked question.

By Eddie Makuch on December 8, 2017 at 10:10PM PST

Tonight at PlayStation Experience, PlayStation boss Shawn Layden gave a glimmer of hope that PlayStation users may finally be able to change their PSN names. In an interview following the PSX keynote, Layden started off by joking, "The elves at the North Pole have been working on it." He went on to say that the ability to change your PSN name is "more complex than you think" when it comes to what has to happen behind the scenes from a technical standpoint.

All of that being said, Layden said he hopes Sony will give players the ability to change their PSN names by PSX 2018. "I hope we'll see events occur that you won't have to ask me that question next PSX," he said to interviewer Greg Miller who started his exchange with Layden by asking about the ability to change a PSN name.

Name-changing has been available for years on Xbox platforms. The first name change is free on Xbox, while additional changes incur a fee. We don't know how it would work on PlayStation, if it ever happens.

Sony's explanation for why you cannot change your PSN name has bounced around a bit over the years. In 2014, Layden explained that it wasn't a technical issue keeping the feature from being implemented, but instead it came down to trolling prevention. In 2015, another PlayStation executive, Shuhei Yoshida, said Sony's engineers were looking into it but were unsure if it would ever be possible to deliver the feature.

For more from the PSX keynote, check out all the big news and trailers in the links below. The show continues through the weekend, so keep checking back for more.

Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

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All of you complaining probably have no concept of the programming involved in this. There are many things linked to your PSN ID and I bet the system wasn't designed to allow username changes in the first place. Would you like to lose years worth of trophies you earned? It will be nice if they do add this feature but there is a reason you should be careful choosing a username on any service unless you already know for sure you'll be able to alter it later.

Upvote • 7 years ago

Therealdealcase

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Edited By Therealdealcase

This is absolute garbage! When the PS Network went LIVE (November 2006), I registered the PSN of CASE and I had it from PS3 into PS4. On November 16th, 2016 my PSN account was hacked, my email was changed, and the account moved overseas' to either Japan or China. I confronted Sony about it and they did ZERO about it. They stated that since it was a
"grandfathered account" and that it was one of the earliest accounts that there was nothing they can do on their end. I provided countless emails that were sent to my account from 2006-2016 addressed to CASE in the title yet still they said that there was nothing they could do. Imagine the disbelief and frustration on my part because all of my online accounts that were purchased, all of my online game data, and all of my online game features are now gone to some lowlife POS.

I've lost all faith in Playstation and Sony as a company. The ability to change names? BS. If that's so, then change my name back and give me my account back!

Upvote • 7 years ago

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He straight up lied to everyone and they ate it. Smh.

Upvote • 7 years ago

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A year to implement this feature? COme on Sony... I understand the PS3 put a hole in your wallet for a long time before turning things around, but this is the PS4. You pretty much have a one sided Victory here... No way it should take you a year for this with your resources and money. Oh wait, I forgot... You're still recovering as a company. I'm not really bothered either way, but their track record of implanting stuff as updates is pretty sketchy. Telling me a year from now might as well be we thought about it.... but no Bueno guys.

Upvote • 7 years ago

deactivated-5b8f394a1ad9a

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Edited By deactivated-5b8f394a1ad9a

YAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Upvote • 7 years ago

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still waiting to put mp3 files on my hard drive -.- but i guess they forgot about that

Upvote • 7 years ago

deactivated-5aa080b4ab96f

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@swantn5: Sony doesn’t care , they have sold 70 million PS4s why would they add features? They only care about sales numbers not their enthusiasts

Upvote • 7 years ago

Pr0ving4Gr0undz

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Pr0ving4Gr0undz

Sony should really hire some new engineers

Upvote • 7 years ago

deactivated-64efdf49333c4

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deactivated-64efdf49333c4

What's the big deal about changing user names? I'd rather be able to change the email address associated with my account. XBL still refuses to allow me to change my sign-in email. It's my college email address. That was shut down decades ago!

Upvote • 7 years ago

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@Barighm: Microsoft absolutely allows you to change the email address associated with an Xbox Live account. They have supported that for years.

3 • 7 years ago

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@Barighm: You can do it. Your Xbox account is a Microsoft account. You need to log into it from a PC and go in the account settings and change it. I’ve done it myself recently and switched from my old Hotmail account to my Gmail account. The only requirement is that the email you are switching to is not already associated to a Microsoft account. If it is, you need to close that account first. Unfortunately, Microsoft doesn’t offer the merging of accounts IIRC.

3 • 7 years ago

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@Barighm: I always found this demand weird. Especially now with the PS4, where the display name can be a different one from the PSN Id...

2 • 7 years ago

deactivated-5ed679841254d

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Edited By deactivated-5ed679841254d

Ok Gamespot please do the same. I made this user name when I was like 12, I’m now 30 years old. I haven’t watched the WWF since they changed to WWE ?. My user name is lame and frankly embarrassing lol. I’m getting old and so are you GS.

12 • 7 years ago

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Pretty vague if you ask me. Is it really this hard to implement the feature?

Upvote • 7 years ago

deactivated-5aa080b4ab96f

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deactivated-5aa080b4ab96f

It only took Sony how many years for this simple feature? Lol pathetic

Upvote • 7 years ago

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@customx5: how do you its a simple feature. it could be very complex coding for sony's software. or maybe sony is trying to figure of with name changing will they be deleting the 100s of thousands of user names that have been inactive for x amount of months/years so an active person could claim it. Sony isnt the best when it comes to the software side of things. they're better with the hardware.

Upvote • 7 years ago

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@marcusi23: Why are you making excuses for a multimillion dollar corporation? Sony has had YEARS to invest and figure this out but Sony as greedy as they are does not care about their customers but only their own profits. Sony sells PlayStations like hot cakes , why should they give a shit about adding new features? Sony has always been this way

3 • 7 years ago

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@customx5: who cares. I'm not changing it anyway. Useless to me and many others. Lots of cry babies that want things they don't need lol.

Upvote • 7 years ago

deactivated-5aa080b4ab96f

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@onehitta323: “Many others” have been wanting this feature for a long while. There no point in not having this option

2 • 7 years ago

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Edited By onehitta323

@customx5: and many others that don't care either. I'm not gonna use it anyway. Next time you sign up for something make sure you pick a user id that you want to begin with. You can change your display name to whatever you want anyway. It's not hard.

Upvote • 7 years ago

deactivated-5aa080b4ab96f

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@onehitta323: Tell that to people who signed up back in 2006 that. People grow up and change their minds and realize the user name they picked wasn’t such a smart idea. Xbox does it and so should Sony .

2 • 7 years ago

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Edited By onehitta323

@customx5: I signed up back in the day as well. I still don't need it. Next time choose a psn Id that you actually want. Problem solved lol.

Upvote • 7 years ago

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@onehitta323: You didn’t read what I am wrote. People grow and CHANGE, why are you so against having the option to being able to change your name? Just because you don’t think it needs to be done? You don’t speak for everyone man... next you’ll be saying nobody needs luxury cars and should just be driving a Toyota Carolla. Just stop man ...

2 • 7 years ago

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Edited By onehitta323

@customx5: I'm not against it. Did you read my comments? I said I don't care about it and its useless to me. If they add it or not, it doesn't matter one bit to me.

Upvote • 7 years ago

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@onehitta323: Actually your whole argument was that it’s a “useless feature” so essentially you ARE against it. Saying things like “next time choose a psn you actually want” why argue about it? They’re already making it possible at some point. You just wanted others to agree that you think it’s pointless. Also you are replying to my comment which is a month old lol

2 • 7 years ago

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@customx5: Yes its useless to me and a lot of people because theres no need for it. I don't care how old the comment is. It's still a useless feature and you're still crying about it LOL. Next time choose a User ID that you actually want when signing up for things. Complicated isn't it? LOL. I have tissues if you need any.

Upvote • 7 years ago

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@onehitta323: Go figure a troll, just because you find it useless doesn’t mean squat! You don’t account for everyone else. I signed up for a user ID that I wanted and used it for several years , now I want to change it, stop trying to debate a feature that’s adopted by almost all of the internet. “I don't care how old the comment is”. I guess my comment really bothered you that much, go cry in a corner kid!

2 • 7 years ago

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@customx5: it's useless and a lot of people don't need it or care lol. Go cry to Sony for 12 more years.

Upvote • 7 years ago

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@onehitta323: Sorry , the world doesn’t revolve around you , I guess the teachers told you that you were special one too many times and now you think anyone gives a shit about your opinion. Why don’t YOU go cry more in comments on how “useless” a common feature is, moron

2 • 7 years ago

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@customx5: Sorry kid but this is a comment section for articles. If you don't like my opinion, other peoples opinions, or get offended easily, then I suggest this isn't the place for you. If you're out of tissues then I can give you some though, since I'm a nice guy.

Upvote • 7 years ago

deactivated-5aa080b4ab96f

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Edited By deactivated-5aa080b4ab96f

@onehitta323: Wow, really? Is this the comments section? I give people respect who respect me first , who don’t try to tell me changing your USER ID on PlayStation is a worthless feature, or tell me to “quit crying about it” until you can learn to talk like an adult you can quit posting to me. Thanks “nice guy” but no thanks

Also if you get offended by my opinion, you can use your own advice and find another place as well. You’re the one who commented on something I wrote a month ago, you’re just looking to fight with someone because you’re a bored little kid with nothing else to do. I hope your family gives you a hug , you need one.

2 • 7 years ago

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Edited By onehitta323

@customx5: Yes this is the comment section. Unless I'm starting to see things, I believe that you have been replying back for the last couple days. So obviously you're offended that I think Its a useless feature LOL. Like I said, this is the comment section and if you can't handle the heat, get out of the kitchen.

Upvote • 7 years ago

deactivated-5aa080b4ab96f

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@onehitta323: You keep repeating yourself. Yes we get it, this is the comments section.

I’m not offended, I think the feature is great, apparently you hate options and like to live with a choice you made 10 years ago. I bet you also run windows xp and use dialup , since you hate changing things.

“ if you can't handle the heat, get out of the kitchen”

Sounds like a catch phrase your mom would use. Grow some balls man and get over it. Accept others have opinions that differ from yours and quit being a baby about it

2 • 7 years ago

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@customx5: LOL still crying?

Upvote • 7 years ago

deactivated-5aa080b4ab96f

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@onehitta323: Maybe after 20 more comments you’ll comprehend that you’re a trolling idiot who just looks to fight with people because their a sad , bored pathetic loser who lives in their moms basement.

Now I’m blocking you, you’re annoying and ignorant.

2 • 7 years ago

deactivated-5aa080b4ab96f

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@onehitta323: As much fun as this is I’m afraid I’m going to have to say goodbye. There’s no point in arguing , you don’t agree with useful features , that’s your thing. You’re against progress and that’s okay. So kick back turn on your CRT television, pop in a VHS tape and watch a movie. Peace out ✌?

2 • 7 years ago

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@customx5: maybe by the 20th time you will understand and comprehend. Never said I hated it. I said its useless and think its funny that you have been crying to sony for 13 years for a useless feature LOL. I find it hilarious. Just because I don't wanna change my user id means I use dial up and windows xp? LOL. Now you want to bring peoples moms into this? LOL ok kid. Like I said, can't handle the heat, get out of the kitchen.

Upvote • 7 years ago

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Nevermind the usernames. My question is: will we ever be able to use custom avatars? I know there have been concerns about people uploading lewd pictures, but there's got to be the possibility of having a moderator system where you can get your avatar verified, no?

Upvote • 7 years ago

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@michyeosseo: It's already possible to do so but only people on your friends list will see that avatar (you can opt out of that also if you want to though).

You need to use the PlayStation app to do it:

Open the app

Log in or register a profile

Go to profile (at the bottom right of the screen)

The third option down will be profile picture, select edit to the right of it and upload an image of your choosing.

Upvote • 7 years ago

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@michyeosseo: what are you talking about? I'm using a picture of myself as my profile picture right now. only people i reveal my name to can see it though.

3 • 7 years ago

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