OffKai Expo is set to return in just a few days. Scheduled for June 20th to 22nd in San Jose, OffKai is one of the most important VTuber conventions in the entire English-language VTubing industry. Case in point, the event is sponsored by such major organizations as Phase Connect, Socks Agency, V-Dere, and V4Mirai. However, OffKai’s staff caused a stir on Sunday after the expo’s official Twitter account announced fans will need to bring ID for the expo’s VTuber Meet & Greets.
“ATTENTION, Meet & Greet Attendees! For #OffKaiGen4, we are requiring a verification check of a government-issued ID during queue,” the tweet reads. “Please make sure you bring one before waiting to meet your oshi, or you won’t be able to attend the Meet & Greet!”
‘How do I know the person checking my ID will keep my real name safe?’
While OffKai’s announcement was met with no real complaints on Bluesky, Twitter was a different matter altogether. VTuber fans were quick to ask, well, why? One VTuber expressed immediate anxiety over sharing her ID, stating, “How do I know the person checking my ID will keep my real name safe?” Another stressed the convention should “disclose this sh*t sooner rather than a week from the con” (censorship added by VICE).
“Is this to keep it 18+? Is it to prevent harassment of the VTuber?” cosplayer ktcosplay asked. A video editor for Phase’s Pipkin Pippa, Keniisu, agreed that “reasoning should have been attached to clear the air on why this is in place”.
Confusion arose about whether the policy was only for official OffKai-run Meet & Greets, or whether every Meet & Greet at the convention required ID confirmation. Popular industry news VTuber FalseEyeD stated that he “received clarification from OffKai Expo that this policy only applies to their officially hosted Meet & Greets,” and “the numerous other Meet & Greets planned to be held at vendor booths are NOT required to follow this policy.”
“Vendors may decide to require ID per their own choosing,” False reported.
OffKai’s ID Verification policy comes with no real clarification
Bringing a valid ID in order to attend a Meet & Greet event with a celebrity or creator is not necessarily uncommon in other industries, although OffKai’s policy announcement comes rather close to the convention. In fact, the policy was seemingly introduced last minute. While the live version of OffKai’s Meet & Greet page states, “ID will be checked prior to all Meet & Greets” and “any valid form of government-issued ID will be accepted”, an archived version of the Meet & Greet page for OffKai from June 3rd, 2025 has no mention of a need for ID. Nor is the verbiage included in a June 9th archive of the website.
So, why introduce the new policy 10 days before the con? It’s possible that OffKai implemented the ID verification system to reinforce its pre-existing Meet & Greet ticket policy, given tickets “are non-refundable and non-transferable”. It’s also possible that OffKai wants to take extra steps to confirm the age of Meet & Greet attendees. For example, OffKai would likely want to make sure a minor does not meet Projekt Melody, a noted lewdtuber. Others have also suggested the policy exists to protect VTubers from harassment.
However, OffKai has not officially clarified the reason for the ID policy, simply stating that it is a necessary step if one wants to “meet your oshi”. This leaves much in the air for VTuber fans, who, understandably, might not want to reveal their personal information.
Is ID verification really that bad? VTubers, fans, professionals weigh in on Twitter
While the OffKai ID policy is controversial with some VTubers and VTuber fans, others do not necessarily believe requests for ID are unreasonable. Many have argued that certain members of the VTuber community are blowing ID verification out of proportion, claiming OffKai attendees must bring ID to pick up their badge. Others have alleged that panic over the measure likely comes from scalpers and traders — that is, people attempting to break OffKai’s rules.
More than anything, many believe showing ID at a convention is a perfectly normal request, and panic over it likely comes from those who have never gone to anime and gaming conventions before.
“2cents as someone who has gone to anime cons for years, but has not gone to OffKai… I think people are making a nothing burger over a very normal request,” one VTuber tweeted. “Like you need your ID to verify age, sometimes to combat pass ferrying, people trying to budge into lines and ect.”
Even those that believe OffKai fumbled the policy’s communication believe anxiety over the measure is overblown. Keniisu, the aforementioned VTuber editor, acknowledged concerns over ID verification but ultimately stressed cooler heads should prevail.
“I’ve been to several conventions where I’ve had to have ID checked upon getting a badge in-person to match with registration,” he tweeted. “I understand the concern, privacy-wise, but assuming something malicious will happen is an overreaction.”
VICE reached out to OffKai for further clarification and comment, including whether the policy is an anti-scalper method and if the ID check exists as an age-verification step.
The post Want to Meet Your Oshi at OffKai? You’ll Need to Show Some ID appeared first on VICE.
