Draft EU rules could force age checks for single-player games that use Steam, adviser warns
The European Commission's EU Kids Act draft defines 'online game' broadly enough that single-player titles relying on Steam for updates or authentication may be affected, Rock Paper Shotgun reports
EU Kids Act draft could force age verification for players of single-player games that rely on Steam for updates, distribution or a one-time authentication, a senior policy adviser to an MEP told Rock Paper Shotgun.
The European Commission's proposal sets up a tiered system governing the types of accounts children under 15 can create across social media, AI chatbots and online video games, and calls for mandatory age verification for all users, according to the released documents.
Under the current wording used to define what the draft counts as an "online game," the adviser said single-player titles that depend on third-party platforms such as Steam for updates or a one-time auth could be captured by those rules. The adviser warned the definition would need tightening to exclude such cases before the law is finalised, if it proceeds.
The documents laying out the proposal have been published by the Commission; the draft remains subject to change as it moves through the legislative process.
