London, April 21, 2026, 17:41 BST
Sony Interactive Entertainment plans to introduce mandatory age checks for adult PlayStation accounts in the UK and Ireland starting June 2026, according to a support page. Without verification, users lose access to messaging, voice chat, parties, broadcasting, and certain in-game sharing features—though gaming itself remains accessible until the check is done.
This shift is getting attention as Sony starts alerting PS4 and PS5 players ahead of the June transition, effectively pulling one of gaming’s largest social platforms into the expanding age-assurance landscape. Age assurance, in practice, requires platforms to verify if users meet minimum age requirements for specific features—typically by checking a phone number, scanning a face, or reviewing an ID document.
PlayStation has listed messages, voice and text chat, parties, group play, and Discord voice calls among the features impacted. Users also won’t be able to broadcast or share gameplay on YouTube or Twitch, according to Sony. Depending on the game’s design, in-game messaging, chat, and sharing player-created content could also be restricted.
Sony wants a clear line between the PlayStation console experience and the social side. According to the company, skipping the new check won’t block users from gaming or using other features that don’t involve communication. The PlayStation Store remains open for browsing and purchases, too.
Verification, according to the company, is required for each adult account set up in the UK or Ireland. Users can choose between a mobile number confirmation, facial scan, or submitting an ID document. Sony’s using Yoti to handle the verification process.
Sony states that Yoti wipes facial geometry data once the verification wraps up, with PlayStation getting just the verification result—not the facial data. PlayStation’s support page puts the ID check at about three to six minutes post-scan.
The Online Safety Act sets the tone in the UK, putting a legal onus on a broad array of online platforms to better protect users—kids in particular—according to Ofcom. The regulator’s child-safety rules kicked in for 2025, with more compliance deadlines and work on service categories running into 2026.
Ireland operates under its own set of online safety rules. Under the Online Safety Code from Coimisiún na Meán, video-sharing platforms face requirements to safeguard both children and the wider public. That means deploying tools like content ratings, age checks and, when relevant, parental controls.
Sony isn’t the only one tightening controls. Back in July 2025, Microsoft started requiring UK Xbox players to confirm their age, making the verification mandatory for things like voice or text chat and sending game invites. “There is no one-size-fits-all solution to player safety,” Kim Kunes, Xbox’s vice president of gaming trust and safety, wrote, adding that approaches will vary depending on the region and service. Xbox Wire
Discord rolled out age-assurance tools for UK users, but it’s taking a different route. According to the company, only confirmed adults in the UK can enter age-restricted spaces or change certain safety settings. Most people, though, won’t have to go through a face or ID check.
Sony’s real headache here isn’t hardware, but user friction. Gamers skeptical of third-party ID checks, those without valid ID, people whose carrier info doesn’t line up, or anyone using an old adult account with wrong details—they could keep their games, but find themselves locked out of social features until their account issues get sorted.
Sony wants parents or guardians in charge of accounts for users under 18. The broader goal? Adults stick with adult accounts, kids with child accounts, and communications features stay locked behind stricter age verification.
