As excitement builds for the release of Grand Theft Auto 6, Rockstar has made a surprising move by officially launching GTA 5 and GTA Online in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). 
Despite being released almost 12 years ago and having sold over 215 million copies worldwide, these two Middle Eastern countries had never cleared the iconic game for sale – until this week.
The reason for the delay? Concerns over the game’s content, including violence, drug use, and sexual themes, which didn’t align with local regulations. As a result, fans in these countries often resorted to importing copies or accessing the game through PlayStation or Xbox accounts linked to regions where the game was available. Now, however, fans can legally purchase GTA 5, which has finally been approved under the new 21+ age rating system in both countries.
This rating shift, alongside the introduction of localized age ratings in 2016, paved the way for GTA 5’s release. Additionally, a recent partnership between Take-Two Interactive (Rockstar’s parent company) and the Saudi-based Advanced Initiative Company, which will now serve as the local distributor for Take-Two titles, has helped smooth the process. This collaboration will also bring other popular games like NBA 2K, WWE 2K, and Red Dead Redemption to the region.
With a combined population of 44 million, Saudi Arabia and the UAE represent a significant market for Rockstar, especially as the highly anticipated GTA 6 approaches its release date of May 9, 2026. After over a decade of development and delays, GTA 6 is expected to make its debut in these markets as well.