Sony has begun introducing age verification requirements for PlayStation users in the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland, as part of efforts to comply with the UK’s Online Safety Act. The changes will affect owners of both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 consoles.

From June 2026, players who do not complete the verification process will lose access to a range of social features, including voice chat, messaging, parties and other third-party communication tools. Gameplay itself will remain unaffected, but certain functions will be restricted until users confirm their age, according to a recent support note by Sony.

Age verification will also be required to broadcast gameplay or stream content to platforms such as YouTube and Twitch directly from a console. To implement the system, Sony has partnered with Yoti, which will handle verification for users in the UK and Ireland. Players can confirm their age through several methods, including submitting a mobile number, completing a facial scan, or providing official identification.

The move mirrors steps taken by Microsoft, which introduced similar requirements for its Xbox platform in the UK last year, also using Yoti as a verification provider. Under Microsoft’s system, users must be over 18 to retain full access to social features such as voice and text communication, as well as game invitations.