
GTA Online could soon require age verification, leak suggests UK players first in line
GTA Online has remained active for years, which has made a huge loyal player base that engages in various activities, from role-playing to combat. Despite this, the game often stays out of the spotlight compared to other live-service titles like Fortnite or Call of Duty. Now, changes could be on the horizon that affect how players access and play the game.
Also read: GTA 6 trailer spark speculation over potential Sony-Rockstar partnership
Rockstar Games May Add Age Verification to GTA Online
The new insight comes from a reliable source known as Tez2 on X (via PC Games), who revealed that Rockstar Games is planning to add an age check mechanism to GTA 5's online mode. This step aligns with recent regulatory shifts, especially in the UK, where the Online Safety Act has recently taken effect. The law requires online platforms to verify the age of users to prevent minors from accessing content deemed inappropriate or illegal.
Also read: Mafia: The Old Country releasing on 8 August, 2025: Here's everything you need to know
UK Expected to See Changes First
According to Tez2, Rockstar Games might implement the verification system regionally, with the UK expected to be the first area affected. However, details remain unclear on how this change will influence the overall gameplay experience. It is likely that some features like phone messages, text chats, and photo sharing via Snapmatic may require age confirmation before use. There is no clear information on whether players will need to verify their age to access the entire game or just certain functions.
Also read: Apple Arcade to add UNO: Arcade edition, What the Car? and more in June game lineup
The timing for this update and the full extent of its impact are still unknown. For now, UK players are likely to be the first to encounter this new requirement due to the Online Safety Act. Many in the community hope that these changes will not disrupt the popular GTA 5 roleplay servers, which remain a major draw as fans eagerly await the official launch of GTA 6.
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Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Decoding UK's OSA, ChatGPT adds emotional support, and pondering Windows' future
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OpenAI The mandatory age verification measures that came into place late last month, are meant to provide a substantial legal assurance of a user's age and consent, the idea being to reduce access to content such as pornography, or anything that encourages self-harm, suicide or eating disorders for instance, on the World Wide Web. Apple There are two sides to this coin. Tech companies and content creators are alarmed by the OSA's new sweeping requirements. If any site accessible in the UK—including social media, search engines, music sites, and adult content providers— does not enforce age checks to prevent children from seeing harmful content, they now face potential fines up to 10% of their revenue for non-compliance. This could very well pressure them into implementing invasive verification systems. Depending how a specific platform does it, methods include scanning your face, credit card, or an identity document, if you want to access content. UK's regulators have been at it for a while, a recent case in point being the Investigatory Powers Act, which we decoded in my Tech Tonic column recently which would have forced tech companies to disable active encryption methods, putting user data at significant risk. There are privacy and access implications of this, something digital rights advocates warn about, detailing that these measures have the potential to create an unprecedented surveillance infrastructure, with these massive databases of personal and biometric information inevitably vulnerable to breaches and misuse. Users must now choose between privacy and access, fundamentally altering the internet's traditionally open nature. 'The Act, which is now coming in enforcement stages exemplifies how well-intended laws can cause unintended consequences on other aspects of technologies. The mandatory use of accredited technology is bound to weaken end-to-end encryption which is the hallmark of a free digital society without which commerce or personal communications systems cannot work. Any of the current age verification methods cannot be imposed without addressing biometric surveillance creep, data breaches and misuse, and increased centralization of user data,' explains a spokesperson of Software Freedom Law Centre India ( in a conversation with us. 'The OSA's age assurance rules require platforms to use facial scans, upload IDs, or verify age through banking or telecom data. These measures raise serious privacy concerns and discourage online anonymity. Larger platforms are testing third-party software for this, but the risk does not disappear, it spreads. User data could now sit with multiple external vendors, increasing the chances of leaks or misuse,' points out Vikram Jeet Singh, Partner at BTG Advaya, a law firm. 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The AI company wants ChatGPT to work better for users when they want guidance and perhaps a pep talk, than pure facts or information. 'I'm feeling stuck—help me untangle my thoughts' is an example OpenAI mentions, among others, to indicate the GPT models will be more capable of listening to the reasoning of a user's thoughts, rather than just tokenise those words into a response. Newly added are also gentle reminders during long sessions to encourage breaks. OpenAI isn't building this out of its own hat, but instead suggests they've worked with over 90 physicians across over 30 countries (including psychiatrists, paediatricians, and general practitioners) to build custom rubrics for evaluating complex, multi-turn conversations, as well as engaging human-computer-interaction (HCI) researchers and clinicians to give feedback on how well they've identified concerning behaviours, as well as convening an advisory group of experts in mental health, youth development, and HCI. 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- Mint
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Time of India
14 hours ago
- Time of India
GTA 6's Premium Price Tag: Why Rockstar's next game may cost you more than ever
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Productivity Tool Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide By Metla Sudha Sekhar View Program Finance Introduction to Technical Analysis & Candlestick Theory By Dinesh Nagpal View Program Finance Financial Literacy i e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By CA Rahul Gupta View Program Digital Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By Neil Patel View Program Finance Technical Analysis Demystified- A Complete Guide to Trading By Kunal Patel View Program Productivity Tool Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By Study at home View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program GTA 6: Development Costs Cross $1.5 Billion According to Pachter, the game's development has already exceeded $1.5 billion, a staggering figure even by modern gaming standards. This includes years of research, design, technology investments, and personnel expenses. 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People will play this for ten years,' he noted, as quoted in a report by Dexerto. GTA 6: Unparalleled Anticipation Despite the premium pricing speculation, the public's enthusiasm shows no signs of waning. The reveal trailer for GTA 6 broke YouTube records, becoming the most-viewed non-music debut in the platform's history, amassing over 100 million views within just 24 hours. Social media channels, fan forums, and Reddit threads have been flooded with speculative content, gameplay theories, and excitement over the potential return to Vice City, the fictional Miami-inspired location many believe will serve as the game's setting. From GTA 5 to GTA 6: A Decade of Demand It's been over 12 years since GTA 5 first hit the market, and in that time, the title has evolved from a best-selling game to a cultural phenomenon. With over 190 million units sold worldwide, it remains one of the most lucrative entertainment products of all time, not just in gaming, but across film and music as well. 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What Makes GTA 6 Different? Beyond price and popularity, Rockstar's upcoming title is expected to bring significant innovation to the genre. Speculation suggests an expansive map, dynamic weather systems, improved AI, and dual protagonists, possibly a male-female duo, a first in the franchise's history. Additionally, the developer's track record of combining satire with cultural commentary ensures the narrative will be as layered and provocative as the gameplay. FAQs What is the expected price of Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6)? Industry insiders predict that GTA 6 may launch at a standard price of $100, significantly higher than the typical $70 price point for AAA video games. Why might GTA 6 cost $100? Analysts believe the $100 price tag reflects the game's massive scope, longevity, and development costs. The title is expected to provide years of value, possibly a decade or more, similar to GTA 5 .