It is a good time for people to be PlayStation 4 gamers. Sony finally rolled out the PSN name change process, allowing folks to abandon PSN IDs that no longer suit them in exchange for new ones. However, this also means a change in protocol for names that don’t follow the terms of service. Sony will change them for you.
Previously, if a PSN name went against Sony’s terms of service, the company would ban the name. It was a swift decision and there was really nothing a player could do. Now, Sony is offering a different approach. If a PSN ID goes against the terms of service, it will be changed to something like “TempXXX,” with numbers in place of the Xs. People then will be able to change their name to something that isn’t against the term of service.
However, the change’s cost will be on the user. If it is their first time changing their PSN ID, it will be free. If it is not, they will need to pay $4.99 if they are a PlayStation Plus subscriber or $9.99 if they are not. Changing a name also can mean critical issues in some games, like Everybody’s Golf and MLB the Show 16 , and losing data or trophies in others.
If someone just wants a PSN ID change for fun, it is easy to do. Logging into your account on a PlayStation 4 or PC and heading into settings will let you go ahead and alter your name. You can even rollback to a previous name you went by for free, thanks to the way the system works. For the first 30 days after a name change, your old name even shows on your profile to help people catch up.
Source: PlayStation.com