Starting on September 9, Epic Games will introduce a mandatory age‑verification step for Australian customers who wish to download or purchase games classified as R18+ on the Epic Games Store. This new requirement means that before a user can access any adult‑rated title, they must first prove that they are at least eighteen years old.
The policy aligns the store with Australia’s online safety framework, which mandates that digital platforms restrict access to mature content for younger audiences. The change does not affect games that a player already owns, nor does it impact titles that carry a rating lower than R18+.
Those existing purchases will remain available without any additional checks, and any game that is rated PG, M, or any other classification below the adult threshold will continue to be downloadable without age verification. To carry out the verification, Epic will tap into its already‑operational Kids Web Services (KWS) infrastructure. KWS, originally built to safeguard younger users, is being expanded with a suite of third‑party verification partners, giving players a choice of how they wish to confirm their age. The options currently on offer include: * **Selfie verification via Yoti** – Users can upload a live selfie that is matched against an identity database to confirm they are of legal age.
* **Credit‑card verification through Stripe** – By entering a valid credit‑card number, the system can infer age based on the cardholder’s information. * **Government‑issued ID check using Veriff** – This method requires the user to submit a scan or photo of an official identification document, such as a driver’s licence or passport, which is then validated for authenticity. A fourth verification pathway, which relies on bank‑account confirmation through ConnectID, is slated to become available later in September.
This addition will further broaden the range of tools players can use, ensuring that the process is both convenient and secure. Epic has emphasized that any personal data collected during the verification process will be used solely for the purpose of confirming a user’s age.
The information will be handled independently of the broader Kids Web Services ecosystem, meaning that it will not be merged with other user data or used for marketing purposes. This separation is intended to address privacy concerns and to comply with relevant data‑protection regulations.
The move mirrors similar steps taken by other major gaming platforms in the region. Just last month, Xbox rolled out its own age‑verification system for Australian gamers. Under that scheme, users must verify their age before they can purchase or play R18+ titles on both the Microsoft Store and the Xbox Store, covering console and PC experiences. This initiative was also driven by the need to meet Australian regulatory standards that aim to protect younger audiences from exposure to adult content online.
Microsoft’s age‑verification rollout is not limited to Australia. The company began enforcing a comparable system in the United Kingdom in July 2025, shortly after the UK’s Online Safety Act (OSA) came into effect.
The OSA requires digital services to implement robust age‑gating mechanisms for mature content, prompting Microsoft to adapt its verification workflow for UK users. Valve, the operator of the Steam platform, has taken similar actions.
In response to the UK’s OSA, Steam introduced age‑verification procedures for its users, ensuring that only those who can legally view adult material are allowed to access such games on the platform. These industry‑wide shifts illustrate a broader trend: major digital distribution services are increasingly adopting age‑gating technologies to stay compliant with evolving legal frameworks across different jurisdictions. For Australian gamers, the upcoming Epic verification system will likely feel familiar, given the parallel measures already in place on Xbox and the upcoming ones on other services.
However, the inclusion of multiple verification methods—ranging from biometric selfie checks to financial‑instrument validation—offers a higher degree of flexibility. Players can choose the method that best suits their comfort level and the devices they have at hand.
From a developer’s perspective, the new policy could have several implications. First, it may affect the visibility and sales of R18+ titles in Australia, as the extra step could deter some potential buyers. On the other hand, the verification process could reassure parents and guardians that the platform is taking concrete steps to protect younger users, potentially improving the overall reputation of the store. Developers may also need to ensure that their games are properly tagged with the correct age rating in Epic’s catalog, as any mislabeling could lead to unintended restrictions.
In summary, Epic Games is set to enforce an age‑verification requirement for adult‑rated games in Australia starting September 9. The system will be built on the existing Kids Web Services platform and will offer several third‑party options—including selfie, credit‑card, and government‑ID verification—with a bank‑verification method arriving later in the month.
Data collected will be used exclusively for age confirmation and will remain separate from other user data. This initiative aligns Epic with recent moves by Xbox, Microsoft, and Valve, all of which are adapting to stricter online safety regulations aimed at safeguarding younger audiences from mature digital content.