GTA 5 & Online Launch in Saudi Arabia, UAE Ahead of GTA 6

Rockstar Games has officially launched GTA 5 and GTA Online in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, marking a major milestone for eager Middle Eastern gamers.

Though released globally twelve years ago with over 215 million copies sold, the controversial title had remained unavailable in these markets until recently due to content restrictions.

Contentious game elements like violence, adult themes, and drug references previously conflicted with regional regulations, forcing dedicated fans to resort to workarounds like international imports or cross-region digital purchases.

With newly established 21+ age classifications in both nations, Rockstar's groundbreaking title finally meets local compliance standards – facilitated partly by Take-Two Interactive's strategic regional partnership.

Take-Two's collaboration with Saudi-based Advanced Initiative Company now enables legal distribution of their major franchises including GTA, WWE 2K, NBA 2K, and Red Dead Redemption across the region.

This development positions Saudi Arabia and the UAE's combined 44-million population as a viable market for future releases like the hotly anticipated GTA 6.

Following extensive development and recent postponements, GTA 6 maintains a tentative May 2026 launch window, though further delays remain possible.