UK Online Safety Act · checked 18 October 2026
UK Age Verification: Steam, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Compared
Each platform checks age differently. Here are the four side by side, from their own pages.
In the UK, Steam counts an account as age-verified while a valid credit card is stored on it (debit cards do not count). PlayStation uses Yoti: a contract phone number, a face scan or photo ID. Xbox accepts ID, face age estimation, a mobile provider check or a credit card. We found no UK age-verification statement from Nintendo.
The four platforms side by side
| Platform | Who has to verify | Accepted methods | If you do not verify | Official page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steam | UK accounts that want mature-content store pages | A valid credit card stored on the account. Debit cards do not qualify. Some cards get a £1 test charge. |
Store pages for mature-content games, and their community hubs, are not shown. | Steam Support |
| PlayStation | UK and Ireland adult accounts | Yoti: a contract mobile number (not pay-as-you-go), a face scan, or a passport, driving licence or national ID. | Chat, parties, Discord voice and broadcasting may be unavailable. Games and the PlayStation Store still work. | PlayStation UK FAQ |
| Xbox | UK adults with a Microsoft account | Government ID, face age estimation, a mobile provider check or a credit card check. | Microsoft said social features would be limited to friends only from early 2026. Purchases and gameplay are not affected. | Xbox Wire |
| Nintendo | — | No UK age-verification statement found on Nintendo's sites. | Nintendo's pages cover parental controls only. | No page found |
Xbox's support page loads by JavaScript and could not be read in full; its methods are as Microsoft announced them on Xbox Wire. We re-check every platform monthly.
Why this is happening
The UK Online Safety Act requires services that show some content to adults to check age with methods Ofcom accepts. Steam's FAQ cites Ofcom's guidance for its credit-card rule. Each platform chose its own method, which is why the same person can be verified on one console and not another.
For game age ratings themselves - PEGI 12, 16 and 18 - see each game's page on this site.
Sources
- Steam: Age Assurance under the UK Online Safety Act
- PlayStation: age verification FAQ (UK)
- Xbox Wire: age verification in the UK (28 Jul 2025)
- Microsoft: verify your age on a Microsoft account
Read on 18 October 2026. Platforms change these rules; we re-check them monthly.
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