Sony Reportedly Phasing Out 'PlayStation Network' and 'PSN' Branding by 2026

Sony is reportedly planning to phase out its 'PlayStation Network' and 'PSN' branding by September 2026, according to a recent report. An internal email sent to developers, as revealed by Insider Gaming, states that the company has made a strategic decision to retire these terms to better reflect the expanding scope of its digital services.

The email clarifies that this change is purely cosmetic and will not impact any of the services provided, including cloud gaming, multiplayer access, or free games. It emphasizes that all core features like friends lists, multiplayer functionality, and trophies will remain unaffected and available to players. Developers are instructed to update their assets and interfaces to align with the new branding guidelines, removing all references to PSN from future releases.

While the new name for the network remains undisclosed, the PlayStation Network has been a staple since its launch in 2006 alongside the PS3, with PlayStation Plus debuting in 2010. The branding is notably linked to the 2011 PSN hack, a major security breach that compromised the personal data of 77 million users and took the network offline for 24 days, affecting both online and some single-player games. This incident prompted global calls for action and has led to ongoing demands for transparency, such as during a 24-hour outage in February 2025 that Sony attributed to an operational issue.