Sony Begins Age Verification for PlayStation Users in the UK and Ireland

PlayStation owners in the UK and Ireland are being asked to verify their age to continue using certain features of their consoles. This process responds to a UK law to protect children from online predators.

The process, outlined on Sony’s website, applies to all PlayStation users based in the UK and Ireland and has already been rolled out. Verification will be mandatory starting June 2026, and failing verification will prevent PlayStation owners from accessing social features like voice chat, text messaging, and party and group sessions.

There are three ways for users to verify their age. They can present a government-issued document such as a passport, driver’s license or national identity card; perform a facial analysis that estimates age from a selfie; or allow verification against the age they have registered with their mobile operator. Sony uses Yoti, the same identity service that Microsoft adopted when Xbox rolled out its own age checks in July 2025 to comply with the same law.

Those who choose not to go through the age verification process will not be locked out of their console: they will still be able to play their games, use the PlayStation Store, access trophies, and enjoy most single-player experiences.

But anyone who doesn’t follow the process won’t be able to access the previously mentioned social features, live streaming on YouTube and Twitch, or third-party chat integrations like Discord, until their age is verified. There may also be locked gameplay features in some games, such as sharing content between players or in-game chat. Sony warns that additional restrictions could follow as individual publishers update their systems.

The policy requiring age verification is the UK’s Online Safety Act, which requires online platforms to protect children from harmful content and verify the age of users.

There was a concerted effort for age verification by child protection groups and governments to reduce possible threats to children from online predators.

The Children’s Internet and Digital Safety Act, a bipartisan bill introduced in March, includes a section dedicated to video game providers that would require them to implement safeguards for children.

Earlier this month, Robloxa popular gaming platform played by millions of children in the United States, has settled lawsuits to the tune of $35 million with NevadaAlabama and West Virginia following complaints about child safety. Roblox has started rolling out its own age verification after facing more than 140 lawsuits filed in 2025 alleging the company knowingly allowed child predators to target minors on its platform.