Starting on September 9, Epic Games will require players located in Australia to prove that they are at least 18 years old before they can download or purchase any games that carry an R18+ rating on the Epic Games Store. This policy change is intended to bring the digital storefront into compliance with Australia’s online safety regulations, which mandate that adult‑oriented content be restricted to users who are legally recognized as adults. The decision was first reported by PocketGamer.biz, which noted that Epic’s new age‑check system will apply exclusively to new transactions involving R18+ titles.
Existing games that players have already purchased will remain accessible, and any titles that are rated below the R18+ threshold will continue to be available without any additional verification steps. In other words, the measure only affects the acquisition of fresh adult‑rated content; it does not retroactively alter access to games that are already in a user’s library. To carry out the age verification, Epic will rely on its already‑deployed Kids Web Services (KWS) infrastructure. The company is expanding this framework with a suite of third‑party verification partners, giving users a choice of how they wish to confirm their age.
The options currently on offer include: * **Selfie verification via Yoti** – users can submit a real‑time photograph of themselves, which is then matched against an identity database to confirm that the person is indeed 18 or older. * **Credit‑card verification through Stripe** – by entering a valid credit‑card number, the system can infer age based on the cardholder’s billing information, providing a quick and familiar method for many shoppers. * **Government‑issued ID check with Veriff** – this option requires users to upload a scan or photo of an official identification document, such as a driver’s licence or passport, which is then validated by Veriff’s automated checks. A fourth verification pathway, which will be linked to bank‑account validation via ConnectID, is slated to become available later in September.
This addition will further broaden the range of tools that users can employ to satisfy the age‑check requirement. Epic has emphasized that any personal data collected through these verification processes will be used solely for the purpose of confirming a user’s age.
The company states that the information will be stored separately from the rest of the KWS system, ensuring that it is not mixed with other user data or used for unrelated purposes. Epic’s move follows a similar trend among other major gaming platforms.
Just last month, Microsoft began rolling out age‑verification requirements for its Xbox and Microsoft Store services in Australia. Australian gamers who wish to purchase or play R18+ titles on those platforms must now undergo a comparable verification step, aligning the console ecosystem with the country’s regulatory framework.
Microsoft had already introduced a comparable age‑check system in the United Kingdom in July 2025, shortly after the UK’s Online Safety Act (OSA) came into force. The OSA obliges digital service providers to implement robust safeguards that prevent minors from accessing adult content online. Valve, the operator of the Steam platform, has also adopted age‑verification measures for its UK user base, allowing mature‑rated games to be purchased only after a user’s age has been confirmed. The broader context for these changes is a growing global focus on protecting younger internet users from exposure to explicit material.
Governments and regulatory bodies are increasingly demanding that digital marketplaces enforce age‑appropriate access controls. By integrating multiple verification methods—ranging from biometric selfie checks to financial instrument validation—Epic Games is attempting to strike a balance between user convenience and regulatory compliance. From a technical perspective, integrating third‑party verification services into an existing platform like KWS involves careful coordination.
Each provider (Yoti, Stripe, Veriff, and soon ConnectID) must adhere to strict data‑privacy standards, and Epic must ensure that the verification flow is seamless enough not to deter users from purchasing legitimate adult content. The company’s public statements suggest that it has designed the system to operate independently of the main KWS data store, thereby minimizing the risk of cross‑contamination of personal information.
For Australian gamers, the practical impact of these new rules will be relatively straightforward. When a player attempts to buy or download an R18+ game, they will be prompted to select one of the available verification methods.
After successfully completing the chosen process, the purchase will proceed as normal. If a user fails to verify their age, the transaction will be blocked, and the game will remain inaccessible until verification is completed. Overall, Epic Games’ introduction of age checks for R18+ titles in Australia reflects a broader industry shift toward stricter content‑access controls. By offering a variety of verification options and pledging to keep age‑related data separate from other user information, Epic aims to meet regulatory expectations while maintaining a user‑friendly experience.
As other platforms continue to adopt similar measures worldwide, the gaming ecosystem is likely to see an increasingly standardized approach to age verification, ensuring that adult‑oriented content remains appropriately gated across different regions.