Xbox age verification is booting UK users from accounts and games, with Microsoft aware of issue

Microsoft has begun implementing mandatory age verification for UK Xbox users to comply with the UK Online Safety Act, but the rollout has been plagued with technical issues that are preventing players from accessing their accounts and games.

The new measures, designed to protect minors from harmful content and predators, require even long-time account holders to complete verification processes. However, users across Reddit and other forums are reporting being randomly signed out of their Xbox accounts mid-game, with some unable to regain access for hours.

One particularly frustrating case involved a Helldivers 2 player who was interrupted during gameplay by a message stating that multiplayer communication was unavailable. Despite attempting various verification methods including submitting live photos and mobile numbers, the user remained locked out of full account functionality.

Microsoft has acknowledged the issue on its support site, stating: "If you encountered an error while trying to verify your age, we're aware of the issue and working to fix it." The company is working to resolve the technical problems, though no specific timeline for a fix has been provided.

Beyond the immediate access issues, the verification process raises privacy concerns. Microsoft has partnered with third-party platform Yoti to process identification documents, leading to worries about data security and potential misuse of personal information. The situation mirrors similar backlash faced by Discord, which recently implemented comparable age verification requirements for mature content servers.

While Microsoft's current focus is on the UK market, the company has indicated plans to implement similar safeguards in other regions. The hope among gamers is that Microsoft will resolve these technical issues before rolling out the system more broadly.

The incident highlights the challenges tech companies face when implementing regulatory compliance measures that directly impact user experience. For now, UK Xbox users are left dealing with interrupted gaming sessions and uncertainty about when they'll regain full access to their purchased content and services.