GTA V Officially Released in Saudi Arabia and UAE After 10 Years – Full Details

Grand theft auto V is finally available in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates after over ten years. These countries have never received the game, but here comes the big surprise because it is now available. It was officially released on July 17, 2025 and that is certainly a huge day in the time of fans who waited years to see this.

It took long due to the nature of the game since it contains elements such as violent activities, drugs, abusive words and crimes. Worse than that, certain features in the game like gambling had impeded the task of getting through the censorship regulations that existed in the Gulf region at the time. However, some modifications to the regulations were made within time and today, here we are.

A New Age Classification Made It Possible

 

What really made the release happen was the introduction of a new 21+ age rating, which is kind of more strict than most other places. With this, the game was able to pass the review boards without too much being taken out. The only major change is the removal of the casino part in GTA Online, because gambling still isn’t allowed by the local laws.
Now, the game is available officially on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Players in both countries can now experience the full GTA V story and most of the online mode, all without needing to go around it using VPNs or grey-market copies.

Players Celebrate, but There’s Still Some Criticism

 

A lot of people in the region were happy, some said they had already played it before, but now they could finally get it legally and support the game properly. Though, not everyone was pleased. Quite a few were not okay with the fact that the Arabic language isn’t included, which could make it hard for many to enjoy the game to the fullest.
Even with that, the move is being seen as a sign of how the gaming scene is changing in the Middle East. Analysts and people in the industry think this might lead to more global releases being available here without delays. And with GTA VI coming in 2026, it’s possible that it could launch here at the same time as everywhere else.

On the final note, bringing GTA V to Saudi and UAE is not only about the release of a single game, it is also an indicator of the fact that the entertainment sector is opening itself to the rest of the world, albeit slowly to what the rest of the world already experienced.
    
 

Written By “ Souranil Ghosh- India Today Gaming”

Edited By: Yashna Talwar