Five countries where GTA 6 could be banned from release

With the release of GTA VI on the horizon, millions of gamers across the world will be looking forward to venturing into Vice City for the first time in years. But not everyone will be able to play the game.

Following multiple delays, it now looks set in stone that GTA VI will stick to its current release date of November 19 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. We’re still waiting on Rockstar Games to officially announce the inevitable PC port. We’ll update you once that announcement is made.

Hopefully, we’ve not just cursed the release date. That being said, for the most part, gamers across the world will be able to play the next entry in the Grand Theft Auto series. This is despite some gamers in Australia having restricted access due to age verification checks.

Has GTA VI Been Banned in Any Countries? Here’s What We Know

At this time, it seems that no country has banned GTA VI yet, but we do have another four months until release, so a lot can change. The most prominent at the moment is Russia. While Steam and the Epic Games Store still operate in Russia, neither has the same level of content elsewhere in the world.

Various video game publishers have removed themselves from Steam and Epic Games Store in Russia, and that includes Rockstar Games. What’s more, Xbox and PlayStation have suspended sales in Russia. So with GTA VI being a digital-only game, it’s going to be very difficult for gamers in Russia to experience Vice City once more.

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Over the years, whether it's related to the graphic violence and/or sexual content, the Grand Theft Auto series has a history of being banned in many countries. Thankfully, at least, attitudes are seemingly more relaxed nowadays when it comes to mature games, within reason, of course.

While currently not on the ban list yet, countries such as Qatar, Kuwait, China and Taiwan have all had GTA banned or at least modified to be released at some point in time. It will be interesting to see if GTA VI has greater fortune this time around.

However, GTA V was once banned in Saudi Arabia, before that ban was lifted in 2025. So, as of right now, GTA VI will be releasing in the country known as “The Heart of Arabia”. We also know that GTA VI will be available in the UK, across the rest of Europe, as well as the USA, Canada, the UAE and Australia, to name a few.

Hopefully, by the time Grand Theft Auto VI arrives this November, you won't find it on your country's banned list. After all, the more access that gamers have to the biggest releases, the more it can only be a good thing for the video game industry we all love.

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