An online poll recently issued to a limited number of PlayStation 4 owners suggests that Sony plans to roll out several long-requested features for the PlayStation Network, including the ability for players to change their usernames.
The poll, reported on gaming enthusiast forum NeoGAF, also asks users to suggest a timeframe for the PlayStation 4’s next major firmware update.
Currently, the PlayStation Network does not allow users to change their PSN ID usernames. This functionality has been a frequent request for PSN members, many of whom have had the same PSN ID since the service initially launched in 2006.
Sony’s poll also gauges user interest in backward compatibility for digital PlayStation and PlayStation 2 Classics. Currently, the PlayStation 4 lacks the backward compatibility features found in previous hardware generations. It’s not clear whether Sony’s proposed PSone and PlayStation 2 Classics support will also add backward compatibility for PS1 and PS2 discs generally on the PlayStation 4, or just a limited selection of titles.
Other proposed PSN features include friend sign-in notifications, an increase in maximum party size, and the ability for players to appear offline while connected to the PlayStation Network.
The poll also outlines a number of improvements to the PlayStation 4’s user interface and games library, including options to hide unwanted titles (such as demos) and the ability to delete them entirely. The current system software permanently lists all previously downloaded games within a user’s library, including deleted and delisted items.
Sony additionally suggests sortable folders, filtering options, and custom backgrounds, among other interface tweaks. One requested option for a store wish list was recently implemented in a PlayStation 4 system update.
Sony did not specify when these proposed additions would be featured in a PS4 firmware update. Polled players have the option of voting for a variety of suggested launch dates, ranging from the end of 2015 to 2017 and beyond.
