Xbox is Now Making Some Users Verify Their Age

A new policy for Xbox accounts is now requiring some users to verify their ages with the developer, with plans for the policy to be more widespread in the near future. Online privacy and content has become a hot-button issue throughout recent weeks, with many different groups making pushes to make the internet “safer” for children. Everything from adult content to horror games has been the target of new litigation and actions from different developers within the past few weeks. Now, Xbox is taking its own stand regarding its age verification policies.

Online censorship has seen a major surge in discussion throughout recent weeks as more and more organizations are taking action, especially in gaming communities. Steam sent shockwaves throughout the gaming space when it began to mass delist games from the platform, citing content that “violates standards set by payment processors.” The United Kingdom also introduced the controversial Online Safety Act earlier this month, which aims to protect children from unsafe online content but has been railed as “censorship” and “dystopian” by detractors. Xbox is now following suit with its own new age verification policy.

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Xbox Rolling Out Age Verification Policy in UK

As reported by IGN, Xbox is now rolling out a limited age verification policy for UK-based users, with plans to expand to other regions. Xbox’s new policy will require some users to verify their ages with the developer using third-party verification software Yoti or risk losing access to Looking for Group functions, custom clubs, and seeing communications limited to friends. The change would even see non-verified users lose access to both Discord and Twitch integration on Xbox consoles. Microsoft has also shared that the change will likely be brought to other regions as well, following its rollout in the UK.

The recent fever surrounding online safety and censorship has been met with plenty of backlash from fans. Steam’s recent mass delisting has brought significant fan outcry, with a Change.org petition rallying against the move amassing more than 160,000 signatures. The change has seen many fans rallying particularly against payment processors like Visa and MasterCard, commonly seen as some of the biggest drivers behind the recent censorship pushes. Microsoft has stated that its new age verification is planned to become mandatory by as early as “early 2026.”

The new age verification policy from Xbox follows several other games and developers beginning to implement the restriction. Discord began to roll out its own age verification policy earlier this year, with some users required to confirm their age to access certain parts of the platform. Many games like Genshin Impact and Call of Duty have also begun to enact their own age verification policies, particularly in games with heavy microtransactions. Online safety and censorship will likely continue to be a divisive topic as gaming continues to be enjoyed by fans of all ages.