Change your 2K username through your platform account, not through the game itself

Your NBA 2K username is tied to your gaming platform — PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, or Steam — not to the game alone. This means you change it the same way you would change your username on any game for that platform. The process takes about five minutes and costs money on most platforms: PlayStation charges $9.99 USD, Xbox charges $9.99 USD, and Steam allows one free change every 30 days.

The game will reflect your new username within a few hours of the change. Your MyPlayer profile, your team name in MyNBA, and your online match history all update automatically. You do not need to uninstall or reinstall 2K.

Key Takeaways

  • Your 2K username lives on your platform account (PlayStation, Xbox, or Steam), so you change it there, not in the game.
  • PlayStation and Xbox both charge $9.99 USD per username change, while Steam allows one free change every 30 days.
  • The change takes effect across all your games on that platform within a few hours.
  • You will need to sign into your platform account online or through your console to make the change.

Change your username on PlayStation Network

Go to account.playstation.com and sign in with your PlayStation Network credentials. Click your profile icon in the top right, then select Profile from the dropdown menu. On your profile page, find the Username field and click the pencil icon next to it.

Enter your new username. PlayStation will tell you when ready if the name is taken or violates their naming rules — no spaces, no special characters except hyphens and underscores, and no impersonation of real people or brands. Once you confirm the change, you will be charged $9.99 USD to your PlayStation wallet or payment method on file. The new username takes effect right away.

If you do not have a payment method saved, PlayStation will ask you to add one before completing the purchase. You can also change your username directly from your PS4 or PS5 console by going to Settings > Users and Accounts > Other > Change Your Profile > Username, though you will still be charged the same fee.

Change your username on Xbox Live

Go to account.xbox.com and sign in with your Microsoft account. Click your profile picture in the top right corner, then select My Profile. On your profile page, look for Gamertag and click Edit next to it.

Type your new gamertag. Xbox will check in real time whether it is available and whether it meets their standards — no profanity, no impersonation, and no names that reference hate groups or violence. Once you confirm, Xbox will charge $9.99 USD to your Microsoft account. The change is live when ready and shows up in all your games, including 2K.

You can also change your gamertag from your Xbox console by pressing the Xbox button, going to Profile & System > Profile > Customize Profile > Gamertag, and following the same process. The fee is the same either way.

Change your username on Steam

Open Steam and click your profile name in the top right corner. Select Profile from the menu. On your profile page, click Edit Profile in the top right. Under the Profile Name field, type your new username and click Save Changes.

Steam allows you to change your profile name once every 30 days at no cost. If you have already changed it within the last month, you will see a countdown timer telling you when you can change it again. Note that your Steam username (the account name you use to log in) is different from your profile name — you cannot change your account username, only your profile name, which is what appears in 2K and other games.

What happens to your old username after you change it

Your old username becomes available for someone else to use when ready on PlayStation and Xbox. On Steam, your old profile name is released after 30 days. You cannot reclaim an old username later, so if you think you might want to go back to it, take note of it before you change.

Your game progress, your MyPlayer card, your VC currency, and your team rosters all stay with your account. The only thing that changes is the name that appears to other players. Your friends list does not break — people who had you added will still see you as a friend, though your name will update in their list.

Troubleshooting a username change that did not work

If you changed your username on your platform account but 2K still shows your old name, restart the game. Close 2K completely, sign out of your platform account, sign back in, and launch 2K again. The sync usually takes a few hours, but restarting forces it to check for updates right away.

If the name still has not changed after a restart, check that you are signed into the correct account. Some players have multiple accounts on their console or computer. Verify you are launching 2K from the account where you made the username change. If you are still stuck, contact the support team for your platform — PlayStation Support, Xbox Support, or Steam Support — because the issue is on their end, not 2K's.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my username for free?

Steam allows one free change every 30 days. PlayStation and Xbox both charge $9.99 USD per change with no free option. If you are on console and want to avoid the fee, you can create a new account and start over, but you will lose all your progress in 2K.

Will changing my username affect my MyPlayer or my team?

No. Your MyPlayer card, your VC currency, your card collection, and your MyNBA saves are all tied to your account, not your username. Only the name that displays to other players will change.

How long does it take for the new username to show up in 2K?

Usually within a few hours. If it has been more than a day, restart the game and make sure you are signed into the correct account. The change happens on the platform side first, and 2K syncs with it automatically.

Can I change my username back to my old one later?

Only if nobody else has claimed it. On PlayStation and Xbox, old usernames are available when ready for others to use. On Steam, there is a 30-day window before your old profile name becomes available. If someone else takes it, you cannot get it back.

What if my new username is rejected?

Each platform has different rules. PlayStation rejects names with spaces or special characters (except hyphens and underscores). Xbox rejects profanity and impersonation. Steam is more lenient but still blocks hate speech and violence references. Try a different name or contact your platform's support team if you think the rejection was a mistake.