Microsoft has told some Australian users that their age has been verified automatically based on longstanding account activity, removing the need for further checks on certain Microsoft and Xbox services. PC Gamer argues that this highlights the shortcomings of Steam’s approach, which requires Australians buying R18+ games to provide details for an active credit card.

The article says this is particularly inconvenient because relatively few Australians use credit cards, while debit cards are not accepted for the Steam check. It also notes that even users with accounts dating back to 2003 and existing R18+ purchases may still be asked to verify their age, although the writer acknowledges broader privacy and security concerns surrounding age-verification systems.