GTA Online is about to roll out a big change that may subtly alter the experience for veteran fans.
Rockstar Games hasn’t formally announced it yet, but reliable leaks and mounting legal pressure suggest the studio is preparing to roll out age verification checks that could lock core features behind ID scans.
And while the idea might sound like a minor safety update, it’s anything but.
Why Is Rockstar Introducing Age Verification Now?
The change is a result of the UK’s Online Safety Act, passed in 2023 and enforced from mid-2025.
This law requires platforms to confirm user ages before granting access to adult content, and it’s already affecting websites, social media, and gaming services.
Companies that don’t comply could face huge fines, reportedly up to 10% of their global revenue.
That kind of pressure makes it very likely that Rockstar, whose development hub, Rockstar North, is based in the UK, has no choice but to follow suit.
It’s obvious Rockstar isn’t excited about this either because being shut out of a major market would be a big risk.
What Parts of GTA Online Might Be Locked?
This goes beyond proving you’re old enough to buy it; it requires confirming your age to use features you’ve used for years.
According to a leak from known GTA insider Tez2, age verification could restrict access to things like in-game messaging, photo sharing via Snapmatic, voice and text chat, and even access to lobbies.
Tez uncovered in-game code that includes strings tied to “age assurance” checks and error messages like “access denied” unless verified.
Is This Only for UK Players?
At the moment, this system appears dormant in the game’s files, but it's expected to go live soon—starting in the UK, then potentially expanding worldwide.
That’s because similar laws are being discussed or implemented in countries like Canada and several EU member states.
Some believe this is a soft rollout to get ahead of legislation elsewhere, and GTA 6, which is targeting a 2026 release, will almost certainly ship with these systems baked in from the start.
Privacy concerns dominate the conversation, with fears that Rockstar (or a third-party verification firm) could mishandle sensitive personal info.
Suggestions of uploading photo IDs, doing face scans, or even linking bank cards have raised red flags. Many say they simply don’t trust these systems, especially in a gaming space where leaks have happened before.
Will These Systems Actually Work?
That said, there’s concern that these systems could be too easy to bypass—or too strict to function well.
Some UK users have already exploited similar systems on other platforms using game photo modes to spoof facial recognition.
Meanwhile, others feel these restrictions will either be ignored or become a permanent nuisance for honest players who just want to log in and play.
Whether or not this will significantly impact GTA Online's player base is unclear.
Some argue most users will verify their age and move on, while others warn of a slow decline in daily logins and in-game spending.
Critics have called for a boycott, saying that only lost revenue can pressure Rockstar and other gaming giants to stand up against sweeping ID laws.
But many doubt a boycott will make a dent—most players simply won’t walk away from a game they’ve invested years into.
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