HoYoverse has informed players of Genshin Impact in the U.S. that they must verify their age to continue playing this popular MMORPG starting May 20.
The game studio shared this update on its official site, stating that all current and new players in the U.S., nonetheless of age, need to complete the age verification process between now and July 20, 2026. If they fail to do so, their accounts will be permanently deleted.
Understanding the Age Verification Requirement
HoYoverse's announcement begins with a clear statement: “We are required by law to age verify US player accounts.” This requirement likely stems from a recent decision by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Earlier this year, the FTC prohibited HoYoverse from selling loot boxes to minors under 16 without parental consent. the FTC found that Genshin Impact had been misleading children about costs associated with microtransactions and rare items available thru its gacha system. This led many young players to spend significant amounts of money on items they had little chance of obtaining.
Additionally, it was discovered that Genshin Impact collected personal data from child players in violation of the Children’s Online Privacy protection Act (COPPA).This law protects children under 13 from online data collection without parental approval. Despite knowing that kids under 13 were playing their game, HoYoverse did not comply with these regulations. As a result of these findings, HoYoverse was also fined $20 million related to loot box practices.
Steps for Players to Maintain Access
The new age verification system will be implemented for all Genshin Impact users by May 20. Whether you already have an account or are signing up for the first time, you must provide your birthdate when logging in before July 18. If you do not complete this step, your account will be suspended along with all friends and chat history being erased. You will also miss out on notifications regarding game updates as access will be denied.
If you neglect to verify your age by July 20, 2026, all personal facts linked to your HoYoverse account will be permanently removed.Thus, when logging into Genshin Impact over the next few months until summer arrives again next year, it is indeed crucial that you enter your correct birthday as soon as prompted.
Conclusion
if you're a player based in the U.S., make sure you're prepared for these changes coming soon in Genshin Impact. Completing your age verification is essential not only for maintaining access but also for protecting your personal information within your gaming account.
