Starting on September 9, Epic Games will introduce a mandatory age‑verification step for Australian customers who wish to purchase or download games that carry an R18+ rating on the Epic Games Store. This new requirement means that before a user can complete a transaction for any adult‑rated title, they must first prove that they are at least 18 years old. The policy does not affect games that are already owned by a player, nor does it apply to any titles that are classified below the R18+ threshold; those will continue to be accessible without additional checks. The decision follows a report from PocketGamer.biz and aligns Epic’s practices with Australia’s Online Safety Code, which mandates that online platforms take reasonable steps to prevent minors from accessing adult content.
By adopting this verification system, Epic is ensuring that its storefront complies with the national regulatory framework that aims to protect younger audiences from material deemed unsuitable for them. To carry out the age‑check, Epic will leverage its pre‑existing Kids Web Services (KWS) infrastructure, a suite of tools originally designed to help developers manage parental controls and child‑friendly experiences.
The KWS platform is being expanded with a set of third‑party verification partners, giving users a choice of how they wish to confirm their age. The options currently available include: 1. **Selfie verification via Yoti** – Users can take a real‑time photograph of themselves, which is then matched against facial‑recognition algorithms to confirm the individual’s age.
2. **Credit‑card verification through Stripe** – By entering a valid credit‑card number, the system can cross‑reference the cardholder’s birth date stored with the payment processor. 3.
**Government‑issued ID check using Veriff** – Players may upload a scanned copy or photo of an official identification document, such as a driver’s licence or passport, which Veriff will authenticate. A fourth method, based on bank‑account verification via ConnectID, is slated to roll out later in September, providing yet another avenue for users who prefer financial‑institution verification over the other three methods.
All of these pathways are designed to be secure, user‑friendly, and compliant with privacy standards. Epic emphasizes that any personal data collected during the verification process will be used solely for the purpose of confirming the user’s age. The information will be stored separately from the rest of the Kids Web Services data pool, ensuring that it is not combined with other behavioural or gameplay analytics. This segregation is intended to minimise privacy risks and reassure users that their sensitive details are handled responsibly.
The move by Epic mirrors similar steps taken by other major gaming platforms in the region. Last month, Microsoft announced that Xbox and the Microsoft Store would begin enforcing age verification for Australian gamers seeking R18+ titles on both console and PC. The requirement on Microsoft’s side also stems from the same Australian online‑safety legislation, and it obliges users to prove they are of legal age before they can access mature‑rated content. Microsoft’s age‑verification rollout is part of a broader global trend.
In the United Kingdom, the company introduced a comparable system in July 2025, shortly after the Office of the eSafety Commissioner (OSA) launched its own set of guidelines for adult content. Valve, the operator of the Steam platform, has likewise implemented age checks for UK users, allowing the marketplace to gate mature games behind a verified age barrier. For gamers in Australia, the practical impact of Epic’s new policy will be relatively straightforward. When a player attempts to purchase an R18+ game, they will be prompted to select one of the verification methods.
After successfully completing the chosen verification step, the transaction can proceed as normal. If the verification fails or the user declines to provide the required information, the purchase will be blocked, and the game will remain inaccessible until the age is confirmed. Industry analysts view these developments as a natural evolution of digital‑distribution platforms adapting to increasingly stringent regulatory environments. While some users may view the extra step as an inconvenience, the consensus is that the safeguards help maintain a safer online ecosystem, particularly for younger audiences who might otherwise encounter adult content unintentionally.
From a technical standpoint, integrating multiple verification providers also offers redundancy and flexibility. Should one service experience downtime or encounter regional restrictions, users can fall back on an alternative method, reducing friction and ensuring that legitimate adult gamers can continue to enjoy the full catalogue of titles without undue delay. Looking ahead, Epic’s commitment to age verification may set a precedent for future policy updates, potentially extending to other regions where similar legal frameworks are introduced. As governments worldwide continue to scrutinise the accessibility of adult‑oriented digital media, platforms that proactively adopt robust verification mechanisms are likely to gain a competitive advantage and avoid costly compliance penalties.
In summary, the upcoming age‑verification requirement on the Epic Games Store represents a significant step toward aligning the platform with Australia’s online safety standards. By offering a suite of verification options—selfie, credit‑card, government ID, and soon bank verification—Epic aims to balance user convenience with the need to protect minors from inappropriate content.
The initiative follows comparable moves by Xbox, Microsoft, and Steam in other jurisdictions, underscoring a broader industry shift toward more responsible content gating. Gamers should expect a brief verification prompt before completing purchases of R18+ games, after which they can continue to enjoy their titles with confidence that the platform is upholding the relevant legal obligations.