Epic Games Store to Implement Age Verification for R18+ Titles in Australia

Starting on September 9, Epic Games will enforce an age‑verification requirement for Australian users who wish to download or purchase games classified as R18+ on the Epic Games Store. This new policy means that before a player can access any adult‑rated title, they must first confirm that they are at least 18 years old. The change aligns the store with Australia’s online safety code, which mandates that platforms restrict access to mature content for younger audiences.

The age‑check will not affect games that a player already owns, nor will it impact titles that carry a rating below R18+. Those titles will remain freely accessible to all users, regardless of age. Only new purchases or downloads of R18+ games will trigger the verification step. Epic has chosen to route the verification through its existing Kids Web Services (KWS) infrastructure.

To make the process as flexible as possible, the company is adding several third‑party verification methods. Users will be able to prove their age in one of four ways: 1.

**Selfie verification via Yoti** – Players can submit a live selfie that is matched against a government‑issued ID using Yoti’s facial‑recognition technology. 2. **Credit‑card verification through Stripe** – By entering a valid credit‑card number, the system can confirm that the cardholder is an adult, as credit‑card issuance generally requires the holder to be 18 or older. 3.

**Government‑issued ID check with Veriff** – This option allows users to upload a scanned copy of a passport, driver’s licence, or other official identification, which Veriff will then validate. 4. **Bank verification via ConnectID** – A fourth method, involving direct verification with a bank account, is slated to roll out later in September, giving yet another avenue for users to satisfy the age‑check requirement.

Epic emphasizes that any personal data collected through these verification channels will be used solely for the purpose of confirming a player’s age. The information will be processed independently of the broader Kids Web Services system, ensuring that it is not repurposed for other uses such as marketing or profiling. The move follows a broader industry trend toward stricter age‑gate enforcement in Australia. Last month, Microsoft announced that its Xbox and Microsoft Store platforms would also require Australian users to verify their age before accessing R18+ games on both console and PC.

That rollout mirrors similar steps taken by the company in the United Kingdom, where age verification became mandatory in July 2025 after the introduction of the Online Safety Act (OSA). Valve’s Steam platform has also adopted comparable measures in the UK, instituting age checks to allow users to view and purchase mature‑content games. While Steam’s verification system is currently limited to the UK market, the precedent set by these major distributors suggests that more regions may see comparable policies in the near future.

For Australian gamers, the new requirement could introduce a brief additional step before purchasing a mature title, but it also offers reassurance that younger players will be shielded from content deemed unsuitable for them. The inclusion of multiple verification options is intended to reduce friction; players can select the method that best fits their preferences and the documents they have on hand.

Critics of age‑gate systems often argue that determined minors can circumvent such checks, but regulators maintain that any barrier is better than none. By requiring at least one form of official identification or a financial instrument tied to an adult, Epic Games hopes to meet the spirit of the Australian code while still providing a relatively smooth user experience.

In summary, from September 9 onward, Australian users of the Epic Games Store will need to verify that they are 18 or older before they can download or buy any R18+ games. The verification will be handled through Epic’s Kids Web Services platform, with four distinct methods—selfie verification via Yoti, credit‑card validation through Stripe, government ID verification with Veriff, and an upcoming bank‑verification option via ConnectID. Data gathered for this purpose will be isolated from other KWS data and used exclusively for age confirmation. This policy brings Epic in line with recent Australian regulatory expectations and follows similar age‑verification rollouts by Xbox, Microsoft, and Steam in other markets.