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GTA 6 Update: Rockstar Games may bring age checks, with UK players likely to see changes first

GTA 6 Update: Rockstar Games may bring age checks, with UK players likely to see changes first

Economic Times3 days ago
Synopsis
Rockstar Games is planning to introduce age verification for Grand Theft Auto Online. This change is expected to start in the United Kingdom. It aligns with new regulations, especially the Online Safety Act. The goal is to restrict access to potentially harmful content for minors. The gaming community is concerned about the impact on gameplay and roleplay servers.
(Image via Rockstar Games) Rockstar Games may soon roll out age verification for GTA Online, starting with players in the United Kingdom. The move appears to align with new regulatory demands ahead of the anticipated launch of GTA 6, according to a report shared by a well-known gaming insider.The update was shared by reliable industry leaker Tez2 on social media platform X, as reported by PC Games. Tez2 stated that Rockstar Games is planning to add a new age verification mechanism to GTA Online. This aligns with regulatory shifts taking place, especially in the UK, where the Online Safety Act recently came into force.
The new law requires online platforms to verify users' ages in order to limit access to content that may be harmful or illegal for minors. GTA Online, known for its open-ended gameplay and player-created content, may be affected under this requirement.According to Tez2, Rockstar could introduce the age verification system region by region, with the UK likely to be the first to see these changes. However, Rockstar has not officially confirmed the rollout timeline or details on how the system would function.While specifics remain unclear, it is possible that certain features—such as in-game phone messaging, text chat, and Snapmatic photo sharing—may require players to confirm their age before use. There is no confirmation yet on whether the age check will apply to the full game or only to selected features.
The timing of the implementation is still not known. With the Online Safety Act now active in the UK, players there may soon be the first to navigate the new age-check process. This has led to concern within the GTA community, particularly among those who play on roleplay servers, a popular mode within GTA 5's online environment.Many fans are hoping the new system will not affect the core gameplay or disrupt access to community-run servers, especially with excitement building for the official release of GTA 6.
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GTA 6 update: Rockstar to introduce age checks in GTA Online, UK rollout comes first; what the update means and why it is happening
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