Minecraft’s Age Verification Rule Feels Like the Start of a Much Bigger Problem for Online Gaming

Minecraft is the latest major game to roll out a major safety-focused change for young players, and I can't help but be concerned about what it means for online gaming, especially in the UK.

In 2014, Microsoft acquired Minecraft studio, Mojang, in a deal said to be worth $2.5 billion, and with its young and old fanbase remaining strong to this very day, Minecraft is certainly here to stay.

As part of Microsoft’s compliance approach to the UK Online Safety Act, starting in February UK-based players with adult accounts must confirm that they are over 18 years old. If you don't comply with this verification, you will lose access to the social features, including the chat.

While this sounds great at protecting young players in theory, with the news that Roblox and the Microsoft-owned Xbox are also introducing age verification requirements, I can't help but feel concerned about the future of online gaming across the world.

Age Verification Checks Coming to Minecraft

if you still choose not to verify your age, you can still play but with restricted access. It won't impact your prior purchases, worlds, or gameplay if you don't verify.

“Starting in February, as part of our compliance program for the UK Online Safety Act and to ensure we're continuing to provide safe and age-appropriate experiences for our players, all Minecraft players in the UK with adult accounts will be required to verify their age is at least 18 years old,” reads an email sent to ibxtoycat.

Some companies are choosing to use methods such as government-issued ID or facial age estimation as part of their compliance strategy to "protect children online" in response to UK online safety requirements enforced by regulator Ofcom.

Critics and privacy advocates have warned that large-scale age verification systems carry inherent risks, including potential data breaches, identity fraud, and misuse for large numbers of people.

One of the reasons this could hit community-driven games like Minecraft is that, understandably, not everyone wants to upload photos and other sensitive information to play games. As such, they could take away a sizeable portion of that community and may lose some talented and trusted creators in the process.

What Does This Mean For Xbox Gaming?

If you're based in the UK and 18 or older, you'll need to verify your age on Xbox by early next year to keep full access to social features. Without age verification:

You'll only be able to communicate with friends on Xbox.

You won't be able to use third-party services like Discord.

Features like Looking for Group (LFG) will be unavailable.

Broadcasting gameplay to Discord or Twitch from your console will be turned off.

You can learn more about Xbox's age verification here.

Stay informed when you're asked to share personal information online, no matter who from.

Microsoft states that verification data is encrypted and handled by its third-party partner, Yoti, solely for age verification purposes and no other purpose.

That being said, can you ever be 100% confident in such claims, especially when it pertains to handing over such sensitive information to third-party entities?