PlayStation's June Deadline: Verify or Lose Chat

We've been covering Sony's age verification rollout over the past few days, but now there's a concrete deadline: June 2026. According to Sony's own support page, PS5 players in the UK and Ireland who haven't verified their age by then will lose access to communication features entirely. That means voice chat, text messaging, parties, Discord integration, and even broadcasting to YouTube or Twitch.

As reported by gamesindustry.biz, Sony is using Yoti for the verification process, the same third-party service Microsoft already uses for Xbox. Players get three options: a government-issued ID upload, a facial scan that estimates your age, or a mobile number check through your phone provider. Sony describes it as a one-time process that takes a few minutes. At least one user on social media has already reported errors during the process, so "a few minutes" might be optimistic depending on when you try.

The feature list that gets locked behind this wall is broader than it first sounds. Beyond the obvious chat and messaging restrictions, Sony's support page notes that in-game features tied to communication or user-generated content could also be affected. "Because each title is designed differently, the specific features affected may vary by game," Sony stated. That's a vague warning that could mean anything from losing in-game text chat to being locked out of content-sharing tools, and it may expand over time as developers update their implementations.

I've said this before and I'll keep saying it: the verification itself isn't unreasonable given the UK's Online Safety Act requirements. Every major platform is heading this direction. But Sony rolling this out with vague per-game restrictions and at least some users hitting errors on day one doesn't inspire confidence. If you're in the UK or Ireland, I'd get it done now rather than scramble in June. The FAQ for Irish users and the UK version have the full breakdown. Sony has also confirmed global expansion is planned for later this year, though no specific dates have been given outside the UK and Ireland.