PlayStation to require age verification for communication & some in-game features in 2026

PlayStation will introduce mandatory age verification for players who want to continue accessing communication features, including chat and broadcasting, starting later in 2026. This policy means that adult account holders must complete an age verification process when prompted, or risk losing access to certain platform features. According to PlayStation’s support documentation, users will still be able to play games even if they do not verify their age, but communication, broadcasting, and certain in-game functionalities will be unavailable until verification is completed.

These changes are intended to improve safety for younger members of the gaming community and align PlayStation with recent actions taken by other major platforms. Following similar updates from Discord and Roblox, which have also implemented their own age-check procedures, PlayStation’s new requirements reflect a wider industry focus on online child protection. To avoid any interruption to gameplay or social features, users are encouraged to complete age verification as soon as prompted.