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Gaming

04th Oct 2018

PlayStation users will finally get the chance to change their horrendous old usernames

Kyle Picknell

People change, Sony. Some of us don’t want to be SlimeBoi69 anymore

It’s long been an issue with the PlayStation Network but it finally appears to be coming: gamers might soon be able to change their usernames.

I know. I know. Deep breaths, X_scifininja_X. Calm down WankBot4000.

Gaming site Kotaku has reported that at least three sources (not one, not two, BUT THREE) have suggested that the new option is coming and that Sony have been working with developers for the last several months to fix the bugs and adjust the settings to make upcoming games compatible with the change.

A fourth anonymous source shared a photograph of an internal Sony document displaying the option “edit username”, and noted that the documentation was a how-to guide for users to change their PSN name.

This may seem like a very minor thing but PlayStation gamers have been without the ability to change their ill-fated gamertags ever since the PlayStation Network’s launch all the way back in 2006.

Xbox Live gamers, meanwhile, are allowed one free redo of their usernames, before they then cost $8 per edit after that. You know. Because this is Microsoft. They try and charge something like £140 for Word and Excel for fuck sake.

The news appears to be backed up by Sony Interactive Chairman Shawn Lyden’s words last year.

After being asked (again) whether the option to edit names was coming, he responded: “Let me put it this way: I hope we’ll see events occur so that you don’t have to ask me that question [about username changes] next PSX”, implying that the feature would be implemented by the end of 2018.

The bad news is that Sony isn’t actually holding a PSX (their annual conference) this year, so fans won’t be able to pester him regardless.

Still, here’s hoping for all the LanceArmstrongGOAT and EatSleepRaveRepeat players out there.