GTA 5 just launched in Saudi Arabia 12 years after original release

Grand Theft Auto 5 is now officially available in both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, 12 years on from the game’s original release.

Up until now, the record-breaking game has been unavailable in these regions due to its notoriously adult content and the strict censorship rules enforced in these countries. In the past, certain titles have made changes to certain elements to bypass these rules, but Rockstar opted not to do this.

However, on July 17, this finally changed and a Grand Theft Auto game was allowed to be sold legally in both countries for the very first time.

Saudi Arabia & UAE create new age rating to release GTA 5

Interestingly, according to industry analyst Niko Partners, a new 21+ age rating has been created to allow the release without modifications. The rating, which is higher than a PEGI 18, was approved by Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Media Regulation and the UAE Media Council, and GTA 5 was released.

Rockstar Games

It’s worth keeping in mind that just because the game wasn’t legally sold, that doesn’t mean that fans missed out entirely for all these years, as there were some workarounds that meant you could get hold of it.

For example, some would sign up to digital storefronts in different countries where GTA 5 wasn’t restricted. Meanwhile, others would import physical copies from abroad, although this always ran the risk of being seized while going through customs.

So, while this change doesn’t mean that a whole new population of people will be experiencing the hit game for the first time, it does remove all of the obstacles to make the process easier.

Perhaps most importantly, it also makes it much more likely that Grand Theft Auto 6, which is currently due to launch on May 26, 2025, will also be available in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.