PlaySafe ID Raises $1.12M to Combat Cheating and Abuse in Gaming

Gaming has evolved into a massive social ecosystem with over 3 billion active players worldwide, yet it faces a persistent challenge: cheating, bots, and toxic behavior that degrade player experience. PlaySafe ID is tackling this head-on by creating a platform that issues a verified, anonymous digital identity to gamers. This identity serves as a universal trust layer across games, enabling developers and communities to enforce fair play and safety without compromising privacy.

The startup recently secured $1.12 million in pre-seed funding led by Early Game Ventures, with participation from Hartmann Capital and Overwolf. This capital injection will accelerate PlaySafe ID’s expansion and integration with major gaming platforms, aiming to onboard over 250,000 users soon. CEO Andrew Wailes emphasizes that meaningful accountability is the missing piece in gaming, as cheaters and predators can simply create new accounts to evade consequences.

PlaySafe ID’s approach is privacy-first and game-agnostic. Powered by Onfido’s zero-knowledge verification technology, users prove their legitimacy without sharing personal data. Once verified, a PlaySafe ID becomes portable across games and platforms, building a network effect that increases its value for both players and developers. This system also supports issuing penalties for violations like cheating or child grooming, with safeguards to minimize false positives.

The inspiration behind PlaySafe ID stems from Wailes’ personal frustration as a gamer witnessing rampant cheating and abuse. He recognized that without a persistent identity, offenders could repeatedly disrupt games with impunity. By introducing a verified identity layer, PlaySafe ID aims to restore fairness and safety, making gaming more enjoyable and secure for everyone, especially children.

In practical terms, players create a PlaySafe ID through a simple verification process. Games then query PlaySafe’s API to determine if a player is eligible to join. If violations are reported by developers, PlaySafe evaluates the context and issues penalties accordingly. Additional security measures, such as selfie re-verification, protect accounts from theft and misuse, similar to banking protocols.

As gaming continues to grow as a social and economic force, the need for a universal system of accountability becomes critical. PlaySafe ID’s vision of a digital rule of law across multiplayer platforms could redefine how fairness and safety are maintained globally. For developers and publishers, integrating such a system offers a competitive edge by fostering trusted communities and complying with emerging regulations like the Online Safety Act.

In summary, PlaySafe ID is pioneering a new era of gaming integrity by combining privacy, verified identity, and cross-platform accountability. This approach not only curbs cheating and abuse but also empowers players to enjoy safer, fairer online worlds. As the platform scales and partners with major games, it has the potential to become as fundamental as existing gamer profiles on Steam or Xbox Live.