Sony is rolling out passkey support on PlayStation platforms globally as an alternative way for users to access their PlayStation Network accounts. The company made the announcement Monday and said that passkeys would offer a more secure and convenient way for PlayStation users to sign in and access experiences on the platform. PlayStation offered password-based sign in option until now, along with security features like two-step verification. Passkeys would eliminate the need to remember passwords and would instead tie account and services access to device-specific unique identification like fingerprint scan, Face ID on iPhone, or a PIN.
The PlayStation parent said that passkeys were the “next step” in bringing a more convenient and secure login method to its users. “Historically, a challenge for Sony Interactive and the tech & gaming industry as a whole, is that the use of passwords have been a limitation both in how well an identity can be protected and how quickly and easily someone can access experiences if a password is forgotten, compromised, or simply just difficult to enter on a given device,” the company said in its blog post.
According to Sony, passkeys will work with other services from the company if users access them via the same Sony account.
Passkeys are cryptographic keys generated uniquely for digital services that serve as an alternative way to sign in to an account without the need for a traditional password. Passwords can be guessed, stolen or forgotten, but a passkey isn't even required to be remembered by the user. Instead, the key is generated via biometric authentication like fingerprint and face scanning tied to devices, or via a device PIN.
The rollout of passkeys on PlayStation will lead to a more robust account security on PlayStation Network, which has been subject to multiple hacks and malicious cyberattacks over the years. The company had rolled out two-step verification back in 2016 to add an additional layer of security on the PlayStation platform.
PlayStation users can start with passkeys by activating the feature over on their PSN account. You can head to http://playstation.com/passkey and click on Activate now to set up a passkey. Or you could directly head to the Account Management section of your PSN account, click on the Security tab and activate Sign in with Passkey option. Follow the on-screen instructions to set up a passkey tied to a device of your choice. Bear in mind, once passkey is activated on PlayStation, two-step verification will be deactivated.
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