The mandatory enforcement of an age verification system, required by the UK’s Online Safety Act, has gone live for a large wave of Xbox users, causing widespread technical failures that prevent players from completing the check, restricting access to voice chat, Discord, and even mods.
In an effort to comply with the UK’s Online Safety Act, Microsoft has begun forcing age verification for Xbox accounts in the region. The company first announced these plans last year, providing a voluntary opt-in period for users to get ahead of the requirement. However, the system has now become mandatory for many, triggering a wave of technical issues.
According to numerous user reports, players are being signed out mid-game and forced into a verification process that is failing for many. The methods for verification include providing a mobile number, official ID, or an age estimation via live video, but users report encountering persistent errors. Even players with accounts clearly over 18 years old are being caught in the system. For some who successfully complete the process, features like voice chat with non-friends, Discord integration, and the ability to view game mods remain locked.
Frustration has boiled over on platforms like Reddit and X (formerly Twitter), with gamers sharing their experiences. This has to be one of the worst implemented things of all time,
wrote user SymbioticAxehead in a Reddit thread detailing their issues. The sentiment is widely shared.
The problems are not just about inconvenience but about losing access to fundamental online features. The amount of times I’ve tried to do any method of the verification tonight is stupid,
user PdoubleEB stated. Can’t change privacy settings on my Xbox to allow me to see mods on games too. Can’t chat on Discord. Utterly broken.
Others who managed to get through the broken system found it made no difference. Been trying to verify my ID for the past few hours,
added ColossalNova. It finally worked but I can’t access anything still. No Discord access at all.
For some, the timing had in-game consequences, as user Warlock_Worm explained: Kicked out of Overwatch game, signed out of Xbox, forced to verify my age… now got an hour ban on Overwatch.
Xbox has since acknowledged the problems on its official support page, stating it is aware of the issue and working on a fix.
While the goal of complying with the Online Safety Act is a legal necessity for platform holders, the execution by Xbox has been a significant failure, negatively impacting its user base. This serves as a stark warning for other companies like Sony and Nintendo, who will inevitably have to implement similar systems in the UK. For now, affected Xbox gamers are left in limbo, hoping for a swift resolution that restores the functionality they paid for. This is a situation to watch, as it sets a precedent for how major gaming platforms will navigate new regional regulations worldwide.
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