A new age restriction has caused a stir in the United Kingdom. However, Death Stranding 2 makes it easy to circumvent.
The graphics in Death Stranding 2 are undoubtedly fantastic. Too good, in fact, if you ask UK government officials. Thanks to Hideo Kojima’s game, their efforts to restrict access to adult content look pretty weak.
Since July 25, 2025, this type of content must be hidden behind an age restriction on the internet in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Users can either scan their ID or hold their face up to the camera to gain access. The latter is supposed to determine whether you look old enough.
Even in its intended use, it is of course questionable whether AI can determine the correct age based solely on a person’s appearance. But less than 24 hours after its introduction, users have already found a way to unlock content for adults.
You can use Death Stranding’s photo mode to bypass Discord’s age verification https://t.co/o9n0c0lwkI pic.twitter.com/mvYmhZZCVp
— Dany Sterkhov 🛡✈ (@DanySterkhov) July 25, 2025
The solution goes by the name of Sam Porter Bridges. The main character from Death Stranding 2, played by The Walking Dead star Norman Reedus, can easily circumvent the age restriction using the photo mode.
Der X user Dany Sterkhov was able to access adult content on Discord. His colleagues at PC Gamer have confirmed the process.
How is this possible? To prevent normal photos from being registered as real people by the AI, you have to open your mouth during the process. But that’s no problem in Death Stranding 2, because Sam opens his mouth at the push of a button in photo mode.
Since the age restriction does not store any data, the AI does not notice that dozens of users have already signed up with Norman Reedus’ face. In the UK, however, another solution is even more popular: VPNs. Proton, for example, has a1,400 percent increase in customers.
What games do you think AI would also be able to trick? In Baldur’s Gate 3’s photo mode, for example, you can also open the character’s mouth. Presumably, you shouldn’t play a tiefling or half-orc, but of course it’s worth a try. Feel free to write your suggestions in the comments!
