Where to change your Sideswipe username

Your Rocket League Sideswipe username lives in your Epic Games account, not in the game itself. That means you change it through the Epic Games website or app, and the change shows up in Sideswipe automatically within a few minutes. You cannot change your username from inside the Sideswipe app — you have to go to Epic Games first.

The fastest route is the Epic Games website. Go to www.epicgames.com, sign in with the account linked to your Sideswipe profile, and look for account settings. The username field is there, and you can edit it directly. On mobile, the Epic Games app has the same settings buried a layer deeper, but the process is identical.

Key Takeaways

  • Your Sideswipe username is stored in your Epic Games account, so you change it on the Epic Games website or app, not in Sideswipe itself.
  • You can change your username once every 14 days, and the change takes effect in Sideswipe within a few minutes.
  • Your new username must be between 3 and 16 characters, can include letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores, but cannot contain spaces or special characters like @, #, or $.
  • If your desired username is already taken, Epic Games will tell you when ready and you will need to choose a different one.

Step-by-step: changing your username on the Epic Games website

Open a web browser and go to www.epicgames.com. Click the sign-in button in the top right corner and enter the email and password for the account you use with Sideswipe. If you have two-factor authentication turned on, you will need to enter a code from your authenticator app or email.

Once you are signed in, click your account icon in the top right corner and select "Account" from the dropdown menu. On the left side of the page, click "General" under the Account section. You will see a field labeled "Display Name" — this is your username. Click the pencil icon next to it to edit.

Type your new username into the field. Epic Games will check in real time whether the name is available. If you see a green checkmark, the name is yours to use. If you see a red X, someone else has claimed it and you need to try a different one. Once you have a name that works, click "Save" and you are done.

Username rules and what you cannot use

Epic Games enforces a few hard limits on usernames. Your name must be between 3 and 16 characters long. You can use uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores. You cannot use spaces, and you cannot use special characters like @, #, $, %, &, or asterisks.

Beyond the technical rules, Epic Games also blocks usernames that contain slurs, hate speech, or references to illegal activity. If you try to save a username that violates their content policy, the system will reject it and ask you to choose something else. The rejection happens when ready, so you will know right away if a name is not allowed.

Your username is different from your display name in some games, but in Sideswipe they are the same thing. Whatever you set as your username on Epic Games is what other players see when they face you in a match.

How often you can change your username

Epic Games limits username changes to once every 14 days. If you changed your username recently, the "Save" button will be grayed out and you will see a message telling you when you can change it again. This limit applies across all Epic Games titles, so changing your name in Fortnite counts toward the same 14-day timer as changing it in Sideswipe.

The 14-day clock starts from the moment you save a new username, not from when you started editing it. If you change your mind while you are typing, you can close the page without saving and the timer will not start.

What happens after you change your username

Your new username appears in Sideswipe within a few minutes. You do not need to restart the app or sign out and back in — the change syncs automatically. Other players will see your new name the next time they face you in a match or check the leaderboards.

Your rank, MMR, and match history stay exactly the same. Changing your username does not reset your progress or affect your competitive standing. Friends who have you added will still see you in their friends list, and you will still see them in yours.

If you cannot find the username field

If you are signed in to Epic Games but do not see a username field in your account settings, you may be looking in the wrong place. Make sure you are in the "General" section under "Account" on the left sidebar, not under "Security" or "Connections." The Display Name field should be near the top of the General page.

If the field is still not there, try signing out completely and signing back in. Sometimes the page does not load all the options until you refresh your session. If you are on mobile, try opening the Epic Games website in a regular browser instead of the app — the app sometimes hides settings that are available on the web version.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my username if I have not played Sideswipe in a while?

Yes. As long as your Epic Games account is active and linked to Sideswipe, you can change your username whenever you want (subject to the 14-day limit). You do not need to have played recently or logged into Sideswipe first.

What if someone else took the username I want?

You will need to choose a different one. Epic Games does not have a waitlist or reservation system for usernames. If a name is taken, it is taken. You can try adding numbers or underscores to make a variation — for example, "Player_123" instead of "Player" — if the original is unavailable.

Will my friends still be able to find me after I change my username?

Yes. Your friends list does not change, and anyone who has you added will still see you under your new username. You will still appear in their friends list, and they will still appear in yours. The change is purely cosmetic from a social standpoint.

Can I change my username on the Sideswipe app directly?

No. Sideswipe does not have a username change option in its settings. You must go through the Epic Games website or app. This is because your username is tied to your Epic Games account, not to Sideswipe alone.

How long does it take for my new username to show up in Sideswipe?

Usually a few minutes. In rare cases it can take up to 15 minutes for the change to sync across all servers. If your new name still is not showing after 20 minutes, try closing and reopening the Sideswipe app.