Steam Age Check Locks Out 65% of Australians [2026]
tech-insider.org
Steam now blocks 18+ games in Australia without a verified credit card. Here's why 65% of adults are locked out, and how it compares to Xbox.

“Steam started blocking Australian users from viewing or buying 18+ rated games on September 9, 2026, unless they attach a valid credit card to their account. Valve’s rollout affects hundreds of mature-rated titles, including Cyberpunk 2077 and Doom Eternal, and it doesn’t matter whether the account is brand new or fifteen years old with a library full of paid-for adult games. Without a credit card on file, those store pages, search results, and even home-page recommendations simply disappear.”

  • Nath@aussie.zoneMEnglish
    2·
    5 hours ago

    Australian government wants ID on everything digital

    This is incorrect. In fact, the OAIC recommends that providers do the opposite:

    The OAIC encourages entities to adopt a ‘privacy by design’ approach when selecting an assurance method. A Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) is a systematic assessment that identifies the privacy impact on individuals, and sets out recommendations for managing, minimising or eliminating that impact. A PIA demonstrates commitment to, and respect of, individual’s privacy.

    Plus, there are a bunch of extra rules if you do have ID on your users. I don’t know how you got that impression, but it is mistaken.