What if I Change my PSN Name?

Changing your PSN name can have several implications, including potential loss of game progress, leaderboard data, and trophies, as well as issues with online and offline gameplay. If you decide to change your PSN name, you may encounter problems with certain games, and in some cases, you may need to revert back to your previous online ID to resolve these issues.

Understanding the Implications of Changing Your PSN Name

Changing your PSN name can be a straightforward process, but it’s essential to understand the potential consequences before making the change.

Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

1. Q: What will I lose if I change my PSN name? A: You may lose progress within games, including game saved data, leaderboard data, and progress toward Trophies. Parts of your game and applications may not function properly, both online and offline.
2. Q: Can I change my PSN name back to the original? A: Yes, you can change your PSN ID back to the original one as long as it doesn’t violate the Terms of Service. You can do this by contacting PlayStation Support.
3. Q: How long can I change my PSN name? A: You can change your username as many times as you like, though only the first change is free. There’s a $10 charge for subsequent name changes, but PlayStation Plus subscribers get name changes for half-off — $5.
4. Q: What will happen if I change my PSN name on Reddit? A: Changing your name will not lead to you losing any trophies. PS5 games have separate trophy lists. Your platinum for the PS4 version of Ghost of Tsushima will still be there.

Technical Questions

5. Q: Does changing my PSN name cause problems? A: When changing an online ID, you may experience issues with some games, such as lost game progress. If you are experiencing issues after an online ID change, please contact PlayStation Support to change back to your previous online ID.
6. Q: Will I lose my progress if I change my online ID in PS5? A: If you change your name, you may lose progress or in-game currency in a handful of games. Check the PlayStation page for details. If you encounter an issue, PlayStation recommends reverting back to your previous online ID to resolve those issues.
7. Q: What are the rules for PlayStation username? A: The online ID must be 3 to 16 characters and can consist of letters, numbers, hyphens (-), and underscores (_).

Account and Security Questions

8. Q: Will changing my PSN name affect my games? A: On PS5, no. On PS3, PS4, and PS Vita, you may get some issues with games you played with your previous name: You may lose progress in some of the games, have issues with leaderboards in others, and may have to re-connect your account with other account services like Club Ubisoft.
9. Q: Will I lose my games if I change my PSN account? A: You’ll be able to use any games you purchased on any account on your console, but they can only be re-downloaded through the profile that bought them.
10. Q: Will I lose everything if I change my PSN email? A: It’ll be fine. Everything is tied to your account, and your email is just your email. The only issue is where you stop getting PSN newsletter emails, but even then, we don’t actually know if that’s what caused the problem.

Cost and Subscription Questions

11. Q: How much does it cost to change PSN name? A: Each account is allowed to change its username once for free. Any changes after that come at a cost: $4.99 if you’re a PlayStation Plus subscriber, or $9.99 for everyone else.
12. Q: Can people see my real name on PS4? A: You can choose who can view your real name and profile picture in the Friends lists of your close Friends (those who have accepted your real-name requests).

Miscellaneous Questions

13. Q: Does changing name change destiny? A: A name change will not change your fate, what were destined to happen will happen. However, you can change the way you lead the life with a name change, it depends on what attributes you want to augment in your life and tune a name accordingly.
14. Q: What PSN names are not allowed? A: It needs to start with a letter, and the only permitted special characters are underscores and hyphens. In addition, words and terms deemed offensive may not be allowed — your PlayStation Network name is publicly visible, so you should try to avoid anything that could cause offense to others anyway.
15. Q: Can someone take my old PSN ID? A: No, your old online ID is only available to you.