Sony to Drop PSN Branding Later This Year, New Report Claims

Just a visual change, nothing more

Sony shall phase out its PlayStation Network and PSN branding by September 2026, according to an internal email seen by Insider Gaming.

This will supposedly be purely a visual change for the online service, rather than introducing any "technical alterations". The two names will be removed from all Sony assets by September to "simplify and unify branding". It's not known what the new name for the PlayStation Network will be.

"All features currently associated with PSN, including core network features such as friends, multiplayer, and trophies, will remain unaffected and available to players," the internal email promises.

Via Insider Gaming, here's the email in full:

We’d like to inform you that Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) has strategically decided to phase out the terms “PlayStation Network” and “PSN” across our platform in order to properly capture the breadth of our evolving digital services.
The upcoming changes are purely visual and will not introduce any technical alterations to our offerings. To simplify and unify branding, the terms “PlayStation Network” and “PSN” will be phased out across all SIE assets by September 2026. All features currently associated with PSN, including core network features such as friends, multiplayer, and trophies, will remain unaffected and available to players. You’ll be notified ahead of changes coinciding with the Technical Requirements Checklist (TRC) update in the fall of 2026.

With the decision reportedly a completely visual one, there should be little to no impact on PS5, PS4 online users. In the third quarter of fiscal year 2025, PSN had 132 million monthly active users.

While the PS2 shipped with online network features, it was on PS3 that the PlayStation Network and branding was truly established. Sony has used the name ever since, though the PS Plus branding has become equally important during the PS5 and PS4 generations.

What do you think Sony should call PSN instead? Post your ideas in the comments below.

[source insider-gaming.com]