Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto V and GTA Online have finally launched in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, nearly 12 years after their global debut. The confirmation came from the General Authority for Media Regulation in Saudi Arabia and the UAE Media Council, which cleared the game with a new 21+ age rating. The approval is a landmark moment for the region’s gaming landscape, reflecting a broader shift in content regulation and an openness to games that were once considered too controversial for release.
For years, GTA V was unavailable in both countries due to its depictions of violence, sex, and drug use, which clashed with strict, conservative-skewing local policies. That didn’t stop players from finding ways around the restrictions, though, according to Nico Reports. They either imported physical copies or created foreign PlayStation and Xbox accounts to sidestep the ban and download the game. Now, for the first time, local gamers can legally purchase and play the title without such workarounds, underscoring the significance of this approval.
