A long-awaited feature is now available to PlayStation Network users: account name changes.
Depending on your region, the feature will become available later on April 10 or April 11. It will give PlayStation users, other than designated child accounts, the ability to change their online ID either from within the PlayStation 4 console itself (but not the PS3 or PS Vita) or via a web browser.
That will come as something of a blessing to people who chose nicely edgy PSNIDs back when they were teenagers. Now they’re gaming with their work colleagues — or their own kids — they may find xZx_BLAZEKUSH420_xZx a tad embarrassing.
The first change of online ID is free of charge for all PlayStation users. After that, any additional changes are $9.99 (£7.99/€9.99) each time, although PS Plus users get a discounted price of $4.99 (£3.99/€4.99). Users can choose to display their old ID alongside their new one for up to 30 days after the change, helping their friends adapt.
Don’t worry about someone jumping on your old ID though. PlayStation reserves any ID you use for you alone, and you can revert back to any of them at any time for no cost. That includes your original ID.
It’s not entirely plain sailing though, as not all games support this feature. PlayStation advises that only games first launched on or after April 1 2018 will function as intended, as developers were using tools designed to support online ID changes.
The only known exception to this is racing title ONRUSH. This appears on the “critical issues” list along with nine earlier titles, and players may find their content, trophy progression, and DLC — including paid DLC — wiped for these games:
- Disc Jam
- Everybody’s Golf
- Just Dance 2017
- LittleBigPlanet 3
- MLB 14: The Show
- MLB 15: The Show
- MLB: The Show 16
- ONRUSH
- The Golf Club 2
- Worms Battlegrounds
Although that’s bad news for ONRUSH fans, there’s good news for GT Sport players. Despite an earlier launch date, PlayStation’s tests reveal no known issues with the game’s support for the online ID change feature. The same applies to Assetto Corsa, Project CARS GOTY Edition, Project CARS 2, and Need for Speed titles Need for Speed, Payback, and Rivals.
A full list of tested titles is available on the PlayStation website.
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