Rockstar Games is working on an age verification system for Grand Theft Auto Online. The development comes after the Online Safety Act came into effect in the UK on July 25th. The law mandates filtering age-appropriate content on digital platforms and protecting children from online risks. Rockstar is expected to initially implement the age verification system for players in the UK.

GTA Online is introducing an age verification system

It’s unclear exactly which content will require age verification in GTA Online. However, according to industry sources, it’s believed the system could be used to access certain social interaction features of the game.

Users may be required to verify their age before accessing features like Snapmatic, phone messages, and text chat. This information was shared by TezFunz2, a data miner known for its reliability in the gaming world.

Rockstar hasn’t yet made an official announcement, but it’s thought the transition to an age verification system could impact not only GTA Online but also the company’s other online games in the long term. The system could involve not only players submitting their date of birth but also various confirmation and identity verification steps. There’s no clear information on the full scope of the implementation or when it will be implemented.

The age verification system has sparked controversy within the gaming community. Players argue that such practices can complicate the gaming experience and pose a privacy risk.

However, due to the law, companies have no choice but to take these steps. Rockstar isn’t the first company to take this step. Activision implemented a similar system for the Call of Duty series last month.

Age verification systems are becoming an industry norm in the online gaming world. How GTA Online will integrate this process and how players will react will become clearer in the coming days.