Steam Locks Millions Out: New Age Verification Policy Sparks Workarounds

Steam has locked millions of gamers out of its PC store due to a new policy change. The move affects users in certain locations, including Australia, where Valve now requires age verification using a credit card to access content with an 18+ rating.

The policy change blocks access to games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Doom Eternal, as well as hundreds of other titles that have been flagged for mature content. Australian Steam users who haven't verified their age will be unable to view these pages on the store or search bar.

According to a bulletin from May 2026 by the Reserve Bank of Australia, only around 23% of payments made in 2025 were done via credit card, while 49% were made using debit cards. This presents a challenge for users without access to credit cards.

However, some Steam users have discovered potential workarounds. On Reddit, a user shared that using a ZIP (BNPL service) card with ZIP PAY might satisfy the age verification requirement, as it is essentially a credit card. Other users suggested creating a virtual CC number in their bank app or checking with their bank to see if an adult debit card could be used for age verification.