It appears that millions of gamers won’t be able to play GTA 6 unless they meet a bizarre requirement and prove their identity to access the highly anticipated Rockstar Games release.
All over the world, millions of gamers will be looking forward to playing Rockstar Games’ next entry in its immensely popular Grand Theft Auto series, when GTA 6 finally arrives later this year on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. However, playing GTA VI in this era might not be as easy as it was with previous entries and console generations — and Australia is leading the charge on a new, controversial requirement.
One Country, One Bizarre Rule
While most regions will allow players to jump into Vice City without fuss, Australia has introduced a significant hurdle. Under the country’s new online safety laws, which came into effect in March 2026, any content classified as R18+ must verify that its users are adults.
Since GTA 6 is expected to receive an R18+ rating in Australia — just like its predecessor — players will likely be required to complete mandatory age verification before they can even boot up the game. This means providing real-world identification, such as a driver’s licence, passport, or other official ID.
One Reddit user summed up the absurdity perfectly: “2013: Mom, can you buy this game for me? 2026: Mom, can you use your ID for me?”
The Price of Non-Compliance
The stakes for Rockstar are enormous. If the company fails to enforce these age checks, it could face civil penalties of up to $49.5 million AUD per breach. That’s a powerful incentive to ensure every Australian player proves their age before accessing the game.
Rockstar has reportedly been preparing for this eventuality for some time. Dataminers previously discovered a dormant age verification system within GTA Online’s files, complete with “Verify Age” screens and QR codes. The expectation is that this system will carry over to GTA 6.
A Generational Shift
The requirement marks a stark departure from how things used to work. In the past, underage gamers could often convince a lenient store clerk to sell them an 18+ game — or simply persuade their parents to buy it for them. Now, with digital storefronts and online verification, that loophole is closing.
Under Australia’s new laws, age verification is now required across a wide range of online services: app store purchases, video games rated 18+, pornography websites, and search engines. The goal is to prevent minors from accessing inappropriate content — but the implementation has raised serious privacy concerns.
Privacy Concerns and Backlash
Unsurprisingly, the requirement has sparked significant backlash. Many Australians have expressed concerns about sharing sensitive personal data — including national IDs, driver’s licences, and selfies — with third-party verification services.
“This has to be the most Australian GTA 6 headline I’ve ever seen,” one Reddit user joked. “Pretty wild. It’s getting a bit out of hand these days. They could do age verification on the OS, giving your ID out willy nilly is not exactly a good idea,” another added.
The irony hasn’t been lost on fans either. As one commenter noted, anyone who was 12 when GTA V arrived in 2013 is now old enough to be waved through without much fuss. Yet under the new system, even long-time fans may need to prove their age all over again.
Will Other Countries Follow?
While Australia is the first to mandate such strict requirements, other nations are watching closely. The UK government has already announced a social media ban for under-16s, set to come into force in Spring 2027. While video games are currently exempt, the UK’s Online Safety Act is already pushing platforms like PlayStation to implement age verification for certain online features.
For now, UK players are safe from having to pull out their ID to play GTA VI. But as Australia’s experiment unfolds, it may set a precedent for other countries looking to regulate online content.
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The Bottom Line
GTA VI already faces significant barriers: the game is banned in several countries, physical copies contain no disc, and the Ultimate Edition locks content behind a paywall. For Australian players, there’s now one more hurdle: proving you’re old enough to play.
Whether this is a necessary step for online safety or an overreach of government power, one thing is certain: GTA VI will be unplayable for millions unless they’re willing to hand over their ID.
Grand Theft Auto VI will be released on 19 November 2026 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. The PC port has yet to be announced.