As fans of Rockstar’s hit franchise Grand Theft Auto continue to trek on in search of the finish line, there’s still no shortage of concern that the highly anticipated GTA 6 could face another delay. However, imagine pushing through the multi-year wait and two delays only to find out you might not even get to play the game. That potential endgame has been pitched by an influential group in one country, as some of the details and leaks that surfaced thus far have apparently caused issues. Interestingly, the call for a potential ban of GTA VI comes from a group in the world’s largest country by area, Russia. The World Russian People’s Council pushed for either the game to be banned or for Rockstar to create a special version of GTA 6.
Why the Release Date Could Prove Irrelevant: Details of Russia’s ‘GTA 6’ Ban Threat
While Rockstar Games’ creation Grand Theft Auto VI is expected to be one of, if not the highest-selling video game in history, it’s obviously not a game you’d want children playing. Although virtually everyone is aware of what games from the franchise entail, the deputy chairman of the World Russian People’s Council had some choice words for Rockstar, calling for a ban on GTA 6 due to “risk of corrupting the younger generation,” as News.ru reported.
During an interview with the site, Mikhail Ivanov, who’s also a member of the Bryansk Regional Duma, called out GTA 6 for “destructive and vulgar content.” However, he specifically referenced a leak that showed a male striptease being involved in the upcoming game.
“The creators of GTA VI are deliberately including destructive and vulgar content in their product, which is completely unacceptable to the moral health of society,” Ivanov said. “This includes the planned inclusion of scenes of male striptease in the game, which is a direct and cynical violation of basic moral norms and traditional spiritual values.”
Ivanov continued by citing the need for either strict legal restrictions on “such games in Russia,” or for Rockstar to release a modified version of Grand Theft Auto VI for the country.
“Allowing such content is tantamount to corrupting the younger generation,” he continued. “We need to either impose strict legal restrictions on the distribution of such games in Russia or require publishers to release special versions for our market, cleared of immoral content.”
Although it’s clear Ivanov and the World Russian People’s Council plan to push hard for an impactful change ahead of GTA VI’s Nov. 19, 2026, release date, it’s unknown what the likelihood is that Russia won’t receive the same game as every other country.
Delays vs. Cancellation: The Status of the Global Launch of ‘GTA 6’
When the calendar flipped to 2026, many avid gamers and fans of the beloved video game franchise celebrated it as the year of Grand Theft Auto VI’s release. It’s understandable and very easy to see the frustration that the delays, which pushed GTA 6 back from a September 2025 release to May 2026, and then again to November 19, have caused fans over the past year-plus.
The New Year feels a bit like the final stretch with the finish line in sight, even if the game won’t hit stores for another roughly 10 months. While players in Russia may have some concerns over the World Russian People’s Council’s pursuit of a GTA 6 ban, it’s worth noting that the group is an influential advisory body and not a part of the government.
Ivanov, who told News.ru that the popularity of GTA 6 “makes it a particularly dangerous tool of influence,” called on the country to prevent children from “being sold the poison of corruption and permissiveness under the guise of entertainment.” The strong comments obviously do not necessarily mean a change will happen, but there have been several instances where different versions of games were sent to countries. Even Rockstar sent a modified version of Grand Theft Auto III to Germany.
Here are a few video games that sent modified versions to different countries previously:
- Grand Theft Auto III: A censored version for Germany, including various challenges removed from the game.
- The Last of Us: Featured censored European and Japanese versions.
- Left 4 Dead 2: Originally banned in Australia before a censored version was released. Germany also received a censored version.
- Fallout 3: Japan received a version of the game with several modifications.
- Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla made a change to the game’s release in Japan that censored blood. Ubisoft later released an update for that version, allowing the game to reportedly re-add various depictions of blood.
Considering Grand Theft Auto III’s previous modification of the version sent to Germany, players in Russia shouldn’t feel overly worried about the possibility of a full-blown ban. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely we’ll hear an update on any potential changes immediately regarding Russia’s version of Grand Theft Auto VI.
Related: Bank of England Warned to Prepare for Aliens Due to Imminent US ‘Disclosure’
