PlayStation has begun its rollout of age verification for users wishing to purchase new R18+ games on their PlayStation consoles in Australia.
In an email sent out to PlayStation users last night, seen by ScreenHub, the company has confirmed that verification will soon be necessary to help create ‘safe, age-appropriate experiences for players and families while respecting privacy and giving players and parents meaningful control over their gaming experiences’.
PlayStation rolls out age verification – quick links
What to know about this age verification
PlayStation users will soon need to verify their age if they wish to be able to purchase new R18+ games on the PlayStation Store. Already owned titles will seemingly remain accessible to all players regardless of verification, and no other features of the consoles will be impacted.
The wording suggests that physical games purchased beyond the PlayStation Store may not be impacted – although equally, it should be noted that parent company Sony is planning to end disc production from 2028 and so future game releases will likely be impacted.
The timing is also particularly notable, as while there’s no confirmed date for the mandatory age verification to be implemented, the emails are being sent ahead of the launch of GTA 6 in November – one of the biggest games of the decade, and likely to be rated R18+.
With many PlayStation users now choosing to purchase titles digitally – ie, in a realm where adult supervision is not strictly necessary – it’s possible PlayStation is looking to actively limit access only to those players who are legally allowed to play this particular title.
That said, the move arrives amidst a wave of similar actions undertaking by various online platforms lately, as conversations around online safety and protecting children from harm have increased significantly. In recent months, we’ve seen kids banned from social media platforms after concerning reports about the state of their mental health and wellbeing, with many platforms now requiring age verification for users to remain active.
As PlayStation says, it’s aiming ‘to help deliver the best experience for your age and to help protect our younger players’.
How to verify your age to access R18+ games on PlayStation
As shared by PlayStation, while the process for age verification is not required yet, you can now verify early to tick the box and ensure you’re able to purchase R18+ games on the PlayStation Store in future.
An FAQ made available for those looking to learn more includes a QR code to verify your age, leading to a Yoti screen. You are then asked to submit either your ID (including a driving license, passport, or other ID card) or to agree to a facial scan, which uses AI age estimation to guess your age.
Once the process of verification through Yoti is completed, PlayStation users will gain full access to R18+ game and online content purchases in perpetuity.
Yoti was, in May 2026, reportedly fined €950,000 (AUD $1.6 million) by a Spanish data protection regulator for alleged violations of European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation within the Yoti Digital ID.
Yoti initiated an appeal process following this ruling, and issued statements assuring ‘no personal data of any app user has been breached or compromised in any way’ and that ‘the Yoti Digital ID app remains secure.’
‘Yoti takes data protection very seriously and has the utmost respect for the critical work undertaken by data protection regulators globally, many of which we positively engage and collaborate with on a regular basis,’ the company said at the time.
