GTA 6 in Australia could require a real driver's license to play

GTA 6 players will need real driver’s licenses or other IDs to play in Australia

So Australia's eSafety commissioner is pushing new online safety rules that might force players to verify their age with government ID before jumping into certain games. And yeah, GTA 6 is right in the crosshairs.

The proposal is part of a broader push to keep kids away from mature content online. The idea is that if a game has an R18+ rating, platforms would need to actually check you're old enough, not just ask for a birthday. One of the suggested methods? Scanning your driver's license or passport.

I know what you're thinking. GTA 6 is already rated R18+ in Australia, same as GTA V. But right now it's basically an honour system. You click "I'm 18" and you're in. These new rules would make that a lot more serious. The commissioner's roadmap mentions using biometrics, credit cards, or government IDs to prove age. A driver's license is the most obvious one for most people.

It's not just GTA 6 obviously, any game with that rating would be affected. But let's be real, GTA is the poster child for this kind of legislation. The timing is interesting too, with the game launching in November. If the rules get fast-tracked, Aussie players might be the first in the world to have to flash their ID just to boot up Vice City.

Privacy concerns are already popping up. Handing over a scan of your license to a game publisher or a third-party verification service feels sketchy. Rockstar hasn't commented on any of this yet, and it's unclear how they'd implement it. Maybe a one-time check through a government portal? Or maybe it just delays the Australian release if they can't sort it out in time.

I'm not gonna lie, part of me gets the intent. GTA 6 is going to be wild and keeping it away from kids makes sense. But the execution sounds like a headache. And what about people who don't have a driver's license? There are alternatives like a passport or a government age card, but still, it's an extra barrier.

Would you be cool with scanning your license to play, or is that a step too far?

Source: Dexerto · Curated content.