It looks like GTA 6 content may be subject to restrictions when it launches next year.
Rockstar Games is no stranger to making games with controversial content. Even going back to the mid-2000s, it felt like the Grand Theft Auto series was at the centre of every violent video game discourse.
Obviously, we know now that violent video games does not cause a violent society, though with how much graphic content GTA 6 is likely to have, YouTube has implemented new restrictions on how this content is featured.
YouTube has always had rather strict policies on featuring violent content on the platform, though a new blog post has detailed some changes on how this will affect video game content.
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“Starting on November 17th, 2025, we’ll be strengthening enforcement of our Community Guidelines around online gambling and graphic violence in gaming,” reads a blog post by TeamYouTube posted earlier this week.
It adds: '“Our policies are designed to evolve alongside the digital world.
"We’re making these updates to keep pace with new trends, like gambling with digital goods, and to more closely align our guidelines for mature content with industry standards.”
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As for what the company means by “gambling with digital goods”, these policies are being expanded to include content that directs viewers to uncertified online gambling sites.
This means that videos directing users to sites that sell digital items with monetary value, such as “video game skins, cosmetics, and NFTs”, will be prohibited.
How will the YouTube ban impact GTA 6?
Meanwhile, existing guidelines around violent video game content will also be expanded to include scenes “featuring realistic human characters that focuses on scenes of torture or scenes of mass violence against non-combatants”.
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Various factors YouTube will consider when potentially age restricting these videos include whether the scene is sustained, how prominent the graphic content is, and how realistically human the characters are depicted.
Videos released before 17th November that violate these new policies may be removed or age restricted, though they won’t result in a strike against the user’s account. However, anything uploaded after this date could be subject to a strike.
As for why YouTube is implementing these changes now, GTA fans may remember the infamous Trevor torture scene from GTA 5 as a possible catalyst.
If GTA 6, which is due to release in May 2026, features any similar scenes, YouTube likely wants to get these policies in ahead of the curve.
Topics: GTA 6, Youtube, Rockstar Games, GTA 5, GTA