Is GTA 6 censored in Australia and New Zealand? What the ratings say
GTA 6 unlocks first in New Zealand and Australia, and a rumor says their versions are cut. Both rate it adults-only and list sex scenes and drug use, and Rockstar hasn't announced a cut version anywhere.
There's no sign of it. Grand Theft Auto VI unlocks in New Zealand and Australia before anywhere else, and a rumor has been going around that the versions sold there are cut. But both countries rate the game for adults only, and their ratings list the very things a cut version would lose, from sex scenes to drug use. Rockstar Games hasn't announced a modified version for any country.
The rumor got a second wind on Nov. 9, when the PS5 pre-load opened in New Zealand. Here's what the ratings say, where the rumor comes from and when we'll know for sure.
What the ratings say
Both ratings appear on the PlayStation Store's listing in each country, which we checked on Nov. 9, along with the reasons for them.
| Country | Rating | Who rates it | Reasons listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | R 18+ | Australian Classification Board | Drug use, high impact violence, sex scenes |
| New Zealand | R18 | New Zealand's Classification Office | Drug use, graphic violence, nudity, offensive language, sex scenes |
Both are restricted ratings, so the game can't be sold to anyone under 18 in either country. They match the game's ratings in most other places, from PEGI 18 in Europe to CERO Z in Japan and M for Mature in the US; our ratings story has them all.
Where the rumor comes from
It started with Reddit posts claiming the New Zealand and Australian versions unlock early because they're cut, LADbible reported on Nov. 7. Our story on early access covered it at the time.
On Nov. 9, as the pre-load opened, players digging through the downloaded files said one file is missing from the Australian and New Zealand version, IGN reported, adding that it could point to cut content. A file's name doesn't show what's in it, though, and the files are encrypted, as IGN noted. Rockstar hasn't commented, and we don't report what people say they've found in game files.
Why New Zealand and Australia go first
The order follows the clock, not the content. The store listings unlock GTA 6 at midnight as Nov. 19 begins in each country, and New Zealand reaches midnight first, at 6 a.m. Eastern on Wednesday, Nov. 18. Eastern Australia follows two hours later, at 8 a.m. Eastern, and the whole US unlocks at midnight Eastern on Nov. 19. Our story on why New Zealand plays first and our release time guide have every region.
The pre-load works the same way on PS5, opening at midnight local time, which is why New Zealand had it first too. Our story on the pre-load going live has the times.
When we'll know for sure
Players in New Zealand will have the game about 18 hours before the US East Coast. If their version differs from the rest of the world's, it will show quickly, and we'll update this story with whatever Rockstar says.
Questions readers ask
- Is GTA 6 censored in Australia?
- Nothing suggests it. Australia's Classification Board rates GTA 6 R 18+, and the Australian PlayStation Store gives drug use, high impact violence and sex scenes as the reasons. Rockstar hasn't announced a cut or modified version for any country.
- Is GTA 6 banned in Australia?
- No. It's rated R 18+, for adults only, and it's listed on the Australian PlayStation Store for release on Nov. 19, unlocking at midnight Sydney time.
- Is the New Zealand version of GTA 6 different?
- There's no sign of it. New Zealand rates GTA 6 R18 and lists drug use, graphic violence, nudity, offensive language and sex scenes. It unlocks there first only because midnight arrives there first.
- Why does GTA 6 come out first in New Zealand?
- Because of the clock. The store listings unlock the game at midnight as Nov. 19 begins in each country, and New Zealand gets there first, at 6 a.m. Eastern on Nov. 18. Eastern Australia follows at 8 a.m. Eastern.
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