PlayStation and Xbox Will Require ID Verification for Online Chat by 2026

Sony and Microsoft are requiring UK and Ireland players to submit identity documents to use voice chat, messaging, and party features, with rollout starting in 2026. Players who decline can still play games but lose social features. The shift stems from the Online Safety Act 2023, which mandates age verification to protect minors online. Worth flagging: after three decades of gaming platforms handling identity loosely, both companies are moving to formal document verification driven by regulation.