All Players Need to Act Now

In a recent update, Activision introduced a new age check feature in player profiles. This new age verification system requires every player to submit a valid birthdate in order to continue playing. Those who fail to provide a valid date of birth may see their accounts deleted altogether. 

This is especially true for underage players, who are now in hot water. Minors will now have to either lie on their profile or make sure that they obtain parental consent to keep their account. If a player indicates that they are below the age of 18 and fails to provide parental consent, their account will be deleted within four months. 

A screenshot of Call of Duty Black Ops 6.
Several Call of Duty games, such as Warzone and Black Ops 6, are affected. / © Steam

Why the Sudden Change?

According to Activision, the age verification feature is supposed “to ensure a positive community experience for all players.” Young players shouting and cursing in Call of Duty lobbies have long been a meme among gamers. It appears that Activision is taking measures to prevent minors from playing their games. In theory, this is a noble goal since the games aren’t suited to a young audience after all. 

However, under a post on X (formerly Twitter) discussing the new requirement, many players are voicing their frustrations. Some are certain that young players will simply lie about their date of birth, given that no actual verification is required beyond entering a date. Others are sceptical regarding the parental consent feature. They feel that the game should be 18+, regardless of whether a parent allows their child to play or not. 

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Ultimately, Call of Duty is not the first franchise to introduce some kind of age verification. Popular online stores, such as Steam and the Epic Games Store, have been implementing mandatory age checks for some time. Speaking from experience as someone who was once a young gamer, it is unlikely that this new requirement will solve the problem of underage players in Call of Duty. Most will simply lie and get away with it, since there is no way to check the validity of the entered birthdate. 


What do you think about this new age verification requirement? Do you think this measure will succeed in ensuring a more positive experience? Let us know in the comments below!