July 30, 2025 – Microsoft’s Xbox platform has kicked off the rollout of age – verification checks in the UK. This move is in compliance with the country’s newly – implemented Online Safety Act. The act mandates that companies hosting adult content, such as pornographic material, must verify users’ ages through bank information or government – issued identification.
At present, age verification on Xbox is optional, but this won’t last long. Starting from 2026, Xbox users will be required to complete age verification if they wish to engage in voice or text communication with people outside their friends list.
As of now, neither PlayStation nor Nintendo consoles have introduced similar age – check measures. However, there is a possibility that such measures could be implemented in the future. Microsoft has stated that it plans to learn from the rollout of these tools in the UK to carry out similar safety initiatives in other regions.
“There is no one – size – fits – all solution when it comes to player safety. So, these methods may vary across different regions and scenarios,” said Kim Kunes, Vice President of Gaming Trust and Safety at Microsoft. “We will collaborate with local communities, publishing partners, and regulatory bodies to identify the right approach that respects player privacy while not compromising the Xbox gaming experience. We will continue to communicate about the changes we make in our practices and data collection to better protect players on our platform.”
Companies are taking this new law very seriously. Non – compliance can result in hefty penalties, including a fine of £18 million or 10% of a company’s global revenue, which could be a significant blow to a company like Microsoft.
Nevertheless, it has been observed that some users have found ways to bypass restrictions on certain websites using technical means. Additionally, some age – verification systems are considered too lenient. For instance, users have been able to pass the verification using the photo mode in Death Stranding or images from WWE 2K25.
Xbox has clarified, “Whether a player verifies their age or not will not affect their previous purchase records, rights, gaming history, achievements, or their ability to play and buy games. But we encourage players to go through this one – time process now to avoid any disruptions when using social features on Xbox in the future.”
