Sony Interactive Entertainment said it will begin rolling out age verification measures for PlayStation users worldwide later in 2026, and users who fail or refuse to verify their age will lose access to voice chat and messages from their console. The company said the check will be a one-time process that takes just a few minutes.
Sony said users who verify in advance will keep using voice and text features, while access to the PlayStation Store, trophies and games will not change. The company did not give a precise date, but its FAQ says the rollout will be effective in June 2026.
The move lands as regulators and gaming companies push harder on age checks across online services. California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the Digital Age Assurance Act, or AB 1043, into law in late 2025, and it is set to take effect on January 1, 2027. The law would require all devices with an operating system to add an age check when creating an account.
Sony said the verification push is part of compliance with global regulations, but the company’s email went only to some PlayStation users and, according to a ResetEra forum thread, was received mainly in the UK and Ireland. It remains unclear how many other countries or territories will be covered when the rollout expands.
That uncertainty matters because the rules are arriving unevenly, even as the industry moves in the same direction. Steam has already put age verification measures in place in countries such as the UK to meet local requirements, and Sony’s next step will test how far PlayStation Network can tighten access without interrupting the parts of the service players use most.
