Sony is today beginning to comply with the UK’s Online Protection Act by informing PlayStation players about its age verification requirements. PS4 and PS5 owners in the UK and Ireland will not be able to participate in voice chat, messaging, parties or other third-party communication services from June unless they can verify their age.
“Starting in June 2026, if you have not completed age verification, you can continue to play on PlayStation, but some features will not be available until you verify your age,” Sony said in a support note. Age verification will also be required to broadcast features from a PlayStation console or share gameplay on YouTube or Twitch.
Sony has partnered with Yoti to handle age verification in the UK and Ireland, and you can verify using a mobile number, face scan or ID. Sony’s restrictions on social features are similar to how Microsoft introduced age verification on Xbox last year. Microsoft also uses Yoti to verify age in the UK, and Xbox players must be over 18 to maintain full access to social features such as voice or text communications and game invitations.
Although Sony will not require age verification for UK and Ireland PlayStation accounts until June, you can verify early and avoid losing access to features. Both Microsoft and Sony are making age verification mandatory in the UK as more parts of the Online Safety Act come into force this year.
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