This article was updated by Andrea Trama on April 21, 2026, with reference to the June 2026 deadline for the UK and Ireland. It was first published on April 20.
PlayStation will begin rolling out age verification measures sometime later this year to comply with global regulations, according to a message from Sony Interactive Entertainment to PlayStation users worldwide. Users who fail or refuse to verify their age will be unable to access voice chat or messages from their PlayStation console.
Sony's age verification measure is the latest in a line of similar changes that have been undertaken by gaming companies and regulators alike. In late 2025, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Digital Age Assurance Act (AB 1043) into state law, which would require all devices that have an operating system to implement an age check upon creating an account. Given the broad scope of AB 1043 within California, this would likely force Sony to add an age check to each PlayStation console that can access the Internet. AB 1043 goes into effect January 1, 2027.
PlayStation to Implement Age Verification Later This Year
Following news that platforms like Steam have implemented age verification measures in countries like the UK to comply with local laws, Sony stated that it would implement its own measures across the globe. Sony Interactive Entertainment stated via an email to some PlayStation users that it would implement age verification sometime later in 2026. However, Sony stopped short of offering a precise date for its age verification enactment. Users who fail or refuse to comply with the age verification requirement will be unable to use voice chat or messages on a PlayStation console until they verify their information. Sony stated that it is a one-time check that would take just a few minutes to complete, and that doing so in advance would allow them to continue accessing voice and text features.
According to PlayStation's FAQ section for this announcement, age verification will roll out and be effective in June 2026. Users will lose access to the following features if not verified:
- Messages
- Voice Chat
- Broadcasting
- Parties
- Discord Integration
However, the age verification measure from Sony stops short of a complete lockout of system features. Sony added that access to other PlayStation services, including the PlayStation Store, trophies, and playing games, will not be impacted by any age verification measures. According to a ResetEra forum thread, Sony's email has been received predominantly by users in the UK and Ireland, with some users comparing it to the age verification measures Xbox implemented within those nations in late 2025. It is unclear how many other countries or territories will be impacted by the rollout.
Read the full article on GameRant
This article originally appeared on GameRant and is republished here with permission.
