Rockstar to bring GTA 5 Online to Saudi Arabia before GTA 6: All you need to know

Gamers of the Middle Eastern region will finally get to play GTA 5 Online officially. Rockstar Games is preparing to release the game on PlayStation 5 on July 17, 2025, in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Despite its popularity, the 2013 title is banned across various countries. However, its upcoming official release for this region is certainly good news.

We explore the various aspects associated with the GTA 5 Online experience in Saudi Arabia.

Note: Parts of this article are subjective and reflect the writer’s opinions.

Important things to know before GTA 5 Online releases in Saudi Arabia

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On July 3, 2025, the official X account of PlayStation Arabia (X/@PlayStation_ME) announced that GTA 5 Online would be released in the region on July 17, 2025. While the original post was written in Arabic, the English translation reads as follows:

“Experience the ultimate entertainment with Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online, rated +21 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Available on July 17 on PlayStation 5.”

Also read: 5 GTA Online mistakes that Rockstar should avoid in GTA 6

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While the Grand Theft Auto community is looking forward to the GTA 6 release date, the GTA 5 Online launch in Saudi Arabia came as a surprise. The latter will be 12 years old in October this year and has a huge player base worldwide.

However, Saudi Arabia banned GTA 5 Online potentially for the following reasons (as per Wikipedia):

“Banned due to depictions of violence, drug use, and explicit sexual content. It is also rumored to be linked to two suicides in the Kingdom associated with the Blue Whale Challenge.”

Also read: Michael Madsen’s legacy in GTA 3: 5 lines we will never forget

While the game is about to get unbanned, it comes with a strict age restriction of 21 years and over. In most countries, GTA 5 Online can be accessed by players aged 17 and above. However, citizens of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates be in the age group outlined by the PlayStation Arabia account.

Considering the game will be released on the PlayStation 5, it is likely to be the GTA 5 Online: Expanded and Enhanced version that Rockstar Games released in March 2022. One should get all the advanced and new gameplay features, such as HSW Performance Upgrades, Career Builder, and Ray Tracing settings.

Also read: GTA Online Winter DLC possibly leaked already, hinting a big update

While PlayStation 5 players are getting GTA 5 Online on July 17, 2025, Rockstar Games has yet to officially announce it for Xbox and PC players of the region.

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About the author

Mridul completed his post-graduation in Mass Communication, Journalism, and Media Studies. His career as a journalist began at Sportskeeda, and he has been associated with the Esports & Gaming division for over 1.5 years. He has produced 1600+ articles on Grand Theft Auto, his favorite gaming franchise of all time.

Mridul writes detailed and well-researched articles, relying solely on official sources and reputable insiders for credible information. His immense love for the GTA series shines through in his work, which resonates with readers, with five of his articles having crossed the 100,000 reads mark each. Overall, his reads count stands at close to 8 million.

GTA: Vice City served as Mridul's introduction to Rockstar Games, and he has dedicatedly made his way through the publisher's catalog since then. If given a chance, he would love to drop into the world of Bully and relive his school days. However, he would like to recommend Grand Theft Auto 4 to beginners due to the depth of its narrative and in-game mechanics.

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Edited by Angad Sharma

Rockstar to bring GTA 5 Online to Saudi Arabia before GTA 6: All you need to know

Important things to know before GTA 5 Online releases in Saudi Arabia

Rockstar to bring GTA 5 Online to Saudi Arabia before GTA 6: All you need to know