Starting on September 9, Epic Games will introduce a mandatory age‑verification step for Australian customers who wish to purchase or download games classified as R18+ on the Epic Games Store. This new requirement is designed to ensure that only players who are at least 18 years old can access content that is deemed suitable for adults, aligning the platform with Australia’s online safety regulations that govern the distribution of mature material. The policy will not affect games that are already owned by users, nor will it impact titles that carry a rating below R18+.
In other words, any game that a player has previously downloaded or purchased will remain accessible, and all standard‑rated or lower‑rated titles will continue to be available without any additional checks. To carry out the age‑verification process, Epic will leverage its pre‑existing Kids Web Services (KWS) infrastructure. The company is expanding this system by integrating several third‑party verification services, giving users a choice of how they wish to prove their age.
The options currently available include: 1. **Selfie verification via Yoti** – Users can upload a real‑time selfie that is matched against an ID document using Yoti’s facial‑recognition technology. 2.
**Credit‑card verification through Stripe** – By providing a valid credit‑card number, the system can confirm that the cardholder is over the legal age threshold. 3.
**Government‑issued ID check via Veriff** – This method requires users to submit a scanned copy of an official identification document, such as a driver’s licence or passport, which Veriff then validates. A fourth verification pathway, which will be linked to bank‑account confirmation through ConnectID, is slated to become available later in September. This addition will further broaden the range of tools that players can use to satisfy the age‑check requirement.
Epic has emphasized that any personal data collected through these verification channels will be used solely for the purpose of confirming a user’s age. The information will be stored separately from the main Kids Web Services database, ensuring that it is not combined with other user data or used for unrelated purposes. The move by Epic follows a similar trend among other major gaming platforms operating in Australia.
Last month, Microsoft rolled out an age‑verification system for its Xbox and Microsoft Store services. Australian Xbox users now must verify their age before they can access R18+ games on both console and PC versions of the store, in compliance with the nation’s regulatory framework. Microsoft’s age‑verification initiative is part of a broader global rollout that began in the United Kingdom in July 2025, shortly after the UK’s Online Safety Act (OSA) came into force.
The OSA mandates that digital platforms implement robust mechanisms to prevent minors from accessing adult‑only content. In line with this legislation, Valve introduced a comparable verification process for Steam users in the UK, allowing the platform to unlock mature‑content titles only after a user’s age has been confirmed.
These developments reflect a growing emphasis on responsible digital distribution and the protection of younger audiences from potentially harmful material. By requiring age confirmation, platforms aim to strike a balance between offering a wide array of gaming experiences and adhering to legal obligations that safeguard minors. For Australian gamers, the upcoming changes mean that before they can download or buy an R18+ game, they will be prompted to select one of the available verification methods. The process is intended to be straightforward: after choosing a method, users will follow on‑screen instructions to submit the required information, after which the system will quickly assess the data and grant or deny access based on the result.
If a verification attempt fails, users will have the option to try a different method. While some players may view the added step as an inconvenience, Epic has reassured the community that the verification will be quick and that the data will be handled with a high standard of privacy and security.
The company also noted that the expanded verification options are meant to accommodate a variety of user preferences and to reduce friction for those who may not have a particular form of identification readily available. In summary, the introduction of age verification for R18+ titles on the Epic Games Store marks a significant step toward compliance with Australian online safety standards. It aligns Epic with other industry leaders such as Microsoft and Valve, all of which are enhancing their platforms to ensure that adult‑only content is accessed responsibly. Australian gamers can expect a seamless verification experience that respects privacy while upholding the legal requirement that only adults engage with mature gaming material.