Grand Theft Auto V (GTA 5), released globally in 2013, has officially launched in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for the first time. As of July 17, 2025, media regulators in both countries have approved the game for ages 21 and over. With this decision, both GTA 5 and GTA Online have been released in these countries without any content regulations.

GTA 5 Officially Released in Saudi Arabia

The fact that GTA 5 has not been officially released in these regions until now stemmed from the game’s content clashing with local censorship policies for many years. Productions containing elements such as violence, drug use, and sexuality were often blocked, particularly for violating religious and cultural norms. The GTA series was one of the most affected by these restrictions, leaving it among the games that were unable to find a place on shelves.

This policy began to change in 2016 when Saudi Arabia implemented its own local age rating system. Having previously used the European-based PEGI system as a reference, the country has begun introducing more flexible game ratings with the introduction of the local system.

Some high-profile games, such as God of War and Red Dead Redemption 2, were able to gain approval, albeit late, thanks to content adjustments. However, some games, such as Final Fantasy XVI, remained officially banned because they failed to meet the required criteria under the new system.

The newly introduced 21-year age limit offers a higher threshold than the 18+ rating applied under the European PEGI system. This change allowed GTA 5 to be released directly without any content changes. It is stated that, in addition to GTA 5, other censored games could also be subject to similar assessment under this new system.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have shown significant growth potential for the gaming sector in recent years. With their young populations and investments in digitalization, these two countries are among the centers of the regional gaming market. According to data from market research firm Niko Partners, the official approval of GTA 5 signals a shift toward a more open and flexible gaming policy across the region.

This development is being viewed as a harbinger of a new era for long-banned games. The uncensored approval of GTA 5 demonstrates that a freer gaming environment is emerging in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for both publishers and players.