This higher age threshold appears to be the key that allowed the game to be sold without any content modifications or censorship.
After more than a decade of waiting, gamers in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates can finally walk into a store and legally purchase Grand Theft Auto 5.
The game officially launched in both countries on July 17, following approval from Saudi Arabia's General Authority for Media Regulation and the UAE Media Council.
Digital and physical copies, including Grand Theft Auto V: Enhanced Edition, Grand Theft Auto V: Expanded and Enhanced, and Grand Theft Auto V Enhanced, are available, with prices set at the equivalent of $39.99 for current-generation versions and $29.99 for last-generation consoles.
The release of GTA 5 in this part of the world coincides with the introduction of a new 21+ age rating. This didn't exist before and sits higher than the typical 18+ ratings used in most other countries.
Saudi Arabia has been making major moves in the gaming industry recently, with the country's Public Investment Fund pouring billions into various gaming companies and esports initiatives.
The nation is even set to host the first-ever Olympic Esports Games in 2027, after the event was postponed from its original 2025 date.
The approval process for games in Saudi Arabia and the UAE involves strict scrutiny of content, particularly regarding violence, mature themes, and cultural sensitivities.
By approving GTA 5 for release and opening its doors to Grand Theft Auto 6, Saudi Arabia is signalling to the multi-billion-dollar video game industry that things have changed for the better.
However, not everything made the cut. The casino gambling features in Grand Theft Auto Online remain blocked.
Despite its age, GTA 5 continues to be a sales juggernaut, with lifetime sales exceeding 215 million copies as of May 2025.
Opening up two previously restricted markets could provide yet another boost to these already impressive numbers.
Better yet, this is good news for the expected sales figure of GTA 6, which, according to analysts, will recoup its development costs within months after being delayed and sinking the video game market to pre-pandemic levels.
