GRAND THEFT AUTO VI Banned Ahead of Release for More Than 1 Billion People Across Major Markets
The hype surrounding Grand Theft Auto VI keeps getting bigger, but not everyone around the world will get the chance to play it when it launches.
While pre-orders are now live for Rockstar Games' highly anticipated open-world crime epic, the game is already unavailable in several regions, including two of the biggest gaming markets on the planet.
Players eager to jump into GTA 6 at launch can now lock in their copy, with the standard edition priced at $80 and the Ultimate Edition coming in at $100, offering extra content for those willing to spend a little more. But for millions of gamers, pre-ordering simply isn't an option.
According to current PlayStation listings, GTA 6 isn't available for pre-order in several countries, suggesting the game is expected to be banned in those regions before it even arrives.
The most notable market on that list is China, which is widely considered one of the largest video game markets in the world. Given the country's long history of strict content regulations, the violent and sexual themes associated with the Grand Theft Auto franchise make this outcome far from shocking.
We don’t know if Rockstar Games will attempt to create a version specifically for China, but if that ever happened, it would likely require extensive edits and censorship that could dramatically alter the experience, making such an effort difficult to justify.
Russia is another major region where GTA 6 appears set to be unavailable, joining a list of countries that have previously restricted or banned games over mature content.
Interestingly, major gaming markets including the United States, Japan, and much of Europe currently aren't banning or censoring the game, allowing players there to pre-order without issue.
It's worth pointing out that this information appears to be based on PlayStation's regional storefronts. That means it could ultimately reflect PlayStation's distribution plans more than official government rulings. Still, every country currently affected has a history of banning games, so it wouldn't be surprising if GTA 6 ultimately joins that list.
Some of these decisions may seem a little early considering Rockstar has revealed relatively little about the game itself. Outside of trailers and screenshots, fans still haven't seen much gameplay or many story details.
Even so, the series has built a reputation over the years, and regulators already have a good idea of what they're dealing with. The trailers have already hinted at plenty of criminal activity and violence, while the franchise's history makes mature sexual content all but expected.
One area that hasn't been confirmed or even hinted at is LGBT content. That's worth mentioning because it's often one of the reasons games face restrictions or outright bans in certain parts of the world.
For now, it's probably best to take these reports with a grain of salt until Rockstar Games or officials from the affected countries provide clarification. PlayStation is a strong indicator of regional availability, but it isn't necessarily the final authority on government censorship.
What is confirmed, however, is that GTA 6 currently isn't available to pre-order in the countries affected by these regional restrictions.
With the game's release still ahead, it'll be interesting to see whether Rockstar finds a way into those markets or if millions of players will be left watching from the sidelines while the rest of the world dives into one of the biggest video game launches ever.