Sony Interactive Entertainment sent a message to PlayStation users around the world saying that PlayStation will start using age verification methods later this year to follow international rules. If users can’t or won’t prove their age, they won’t be able to use voice chat or send texts from their PlayStation system.
Sony’s age verification policy is the newest in a long line of similar efforts made by both game companies and governments. Gavin Newsom, California Governor, signed the Digital Age Assurance Act (AB 1043) law into late 2025. According to this law, all devices with an operating system must check the age of user,s when they create an account. Because AB 1043 is so broad in California, Sony would probably have to put an age check on every PlayStation that can connect to the Internet. AB 1043 will go into effect on January 1, 2027.
Sony gave a statement in which they said that the company is going to implement its own age verification policies internationaly as answer to claims that platforms like Steam had been doing so in an effort to comply with local regulations and regulations in countries like the UK. In an email to some PlayStation players, Sony Interactive Entertainment said that age verification would be implemented later in 2026.
Sony did not, however, provide a specific date for the implementation of its age verification system. Users will not be able to use voice chat as well as texts on a PlayStation console until they have verified their details if they do not comply with the age verification criterion. According to Sony, completing the one-time check would only take a few minutes, and doing it beforehand would enable customers to keep using the text and speech features.
Age verification will launch and take effect in June 2026, according to PlayStation’s FAQ section for this announcement. The following functionalities will not be available to users if they are not verified:
- Messages
- Voice Chat
- Broadcasting
- Parties
- Discord Integration
But Sony’s age verification method falls short of completely locking out system functions. Sony has stated that no age verification procedures will affect access to other PlayStation services, such as the PlayStation Store, trophies, and gaming. players in the UK and Ireland have been the main recipients of Sony’s email, according to a ResetEra forum thread. Some players have compared it to the age verification policies Xbox put in place in both countries in late 2025. It is still not known, how many more nations or regions the rollout will affect.
