Fulfilling a long-requested PlayStation Network feature, Sony officially announced today that sub account holders who are over 18 can now upgrade their existing account to a master account. By doing so, you’ll gain full access to online and account features without losing access to your Friends List, Trophies, or any PlayStation Store content purchased on the sub account.
In order to perform this upgrade, head to the Sony Entertainment Network website or use the PlayStation App and sign in, then follow these steps:
- Select [Upgrade Your Account] on the Dashboard.
- Read and agree to the SEN Terms of Service.
- You may need to sign out and sign back in to complete the process.
- You now have a master account!
Knowing you might have some questions about the upgrade, Sony posted a FAQ:
How Will This Affect the Original Master Account?
- The master account holder will receive notification via e-mail once the upgrade is complete.
- The master account holder will not need to authorize the upgrade and cannot block the upgrade.
- The master account is no longer responsible for any purchases or subscriptions made by the sub account.
- The master account holder gains an extra slot should they wish to add any extra sub accounts to your master account.
What Happens to the Stuff I’ve Already Purchased?
- Content and services will be linked to the account that was used to purchase them. So any content purchased when signed in to the the Sub account will then belong to the new, upgraded master account. Any content purchased on the original master account will remain linked to it.
What Can My New Master Account Do?
- The upgraded account has all the features of a master account with access to Friends, Trophies subscriptions as well as social/sharing features and an empty wallet for Store purchases.
- Please note the upgraded account will be responsible for any pre-orders or subscription renewals active from before the upgrade.
They go on to note that the upgrade is permanent and the account cannot be changed back to a sub account.
As for that other highly requested PSN feature, Shawn Layden said last year that one of the reasons why they weren’t offering PSN name changes is due to the potential abuse it may cause.
[Source: PlayStation Support (1), (2), PlayStation Forums, PS Blog]
