PlayStation users are now being asked for age verification in the UK and Ireland, or risk losing access to communication features when it soon becomes mandatory

Age verification will be mandatory in June

23 Apr 2026, 16:17 by https://www.techradar.com/uk/author/demi-williams · TechRadar

News By Demi Williams published 23 April 2026

(Image credit: Shutterstock / Mohsen Vaziri)

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PlayStation age verification has begun rolling out for users in the UK and Ireland
As part of the UK's Online Safety Act (OSA), age verification will be mandatory in June
Many communication features will be unavailable if the user doesn't verify their age

Sony has begun rolling out PlayStation age verification for users in the UK and Ireland.

The age verification process, which is part of the UK's Online Safety Act (OSA), is currently optional, but will be mandatory starting June 2026, according to the FAQ.

Sony is asking players to complete the process to avoid interruptions later this year and keep access to PlayStation communication features like text and voice chat, messaging, Discord voice chat, streaming features, broadcasting to YouTube and Twitch, joining parties or group sessions, and other in-game user-generated content (UGC).

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It explained that some games offer their own communication tools or UGC features, and if age verification is not completed, certain features will be unavailable.

"Because each title is designed differently, the specific features affected may vary by game," Sony said. "As titles update their implementations over time, additional in-game features may become restricted for users who have not verified their age.

Players have reacted to the new change, with one Reddit user saying, "Sony making age verification mandatory for core PlayStation social features feels like a preview of where the internet is heading."

Others have said they shouldn't have to verify their age if they've owned their account for more than 18 years, with some suggesting that if a purchase was made with a credit card, Sony should automatically know the user is an adult.

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